ClearGiantHogweed

We read with interest the article (July 1) on the topic of the Giant Hogweed infestation at Tarbolton Moss Landfill Site.

Much thanks are due to Stuart Brabbs of Ayrshire Rivers Trust for Trust dedication, over the last decade, towards management of this noxious problem over multiple watercourses.

The ART efforts, together with others, effectively had this under control on Tarbolton Moss until the enforced Liquidation of Tarbolton Landfill Ltd in June 2018.

The pity is that SEPA/Scottish Government seemed unprepared to recognise this and further fund the annual work necessary.

The financial involvement is negligible but the public safety implications enormous.

Thereafter you proceed to a confusing narrative in which you initially quote SEPA as saying they are not in discussion with the Scottish Government over Hogweed and thence you go on to quote a Scottish Government spokesperson indicates they are working with SEPA and others in regard to the Tarbolton problems with SEPA commissioning work to clear the Giant Hogweed and thus allow site survey work to progress.

The facts belie anything either SEPA or the Scottish Government state.

The contribution of both such bodies in efforts to aid the control and remediation of anything regarding this site are so near zero they could be described on the back of a postage stamp with room available for an address to either, if not both.

The above lack of clarity exhibiting the shambolic reaction of both organisations as exhibited since the site closure.

This site has been all but ignored by every ‘authority’ you could name with a result it is now contaminated probably beyond redemption and will secrete leachate presently impregnating the Moss fibre into the Water of Fail and thence to the River Ayr for decades.

It undoubtedly justifies the oft awarded accolade of the most polluted environmental disaster zone in Scotland …. if not the U.K……. but this does not seem of concern to the ‘authorities’.

The Scottish Government and / or SEPA should be providing ART with a financial commitment to facilitate control of the Hogweed for at least the next decade.

They should also belatedly commit to the residents in and about the abandoned Landfill Site to stop all their ducking and diving over the remediation issues and come forward with a costed set of proposals to actually start the long overdue landfill site clean-up.

We have waited for this for over two years. How long is too long ? Joe Dalling

Project Manager

For Tarbolton Tenants’ and Residents’ Assocation