Anger after piles of rubbish left outside shut recycling sites

ENVIRONMENT: Plea for patience and consideration as council grapples with staff shortages

Fly-tippers have dumped large piles of household waste, garden rubbish and even an old mattress at the gates of two closed recycling centres in Fife.

The waste was piled high at the entrance to the council-run sites at Cupar and Pittenweem after both were forced to close without prior notice on Saturday due to the lack of available staff

Councillor Ross Vettraino, convener of the environment, protective services and community safety committee, said the culprits were guilty of “environmental vandalism”.

The council is trying to manage with a 40% drop in staff available to work at its recycling centres because of restrictions imposed by the coronavirus crisis.

Mr Vettraino is urging the public to play its part by acting responsibly when it comes to discarding waste.

The SNP councillor for Glenrothes

“In these times when so many people are making huge efforts to do what they can to minimise any disruption, it beggars belief that some people can be so uncaring. COUNCILLOR ROSS VETTRAINO

Central and Thornton said: “Against such a high absenteeism rate and despite everyone’s best efforts, it is inevitable that some services will not be available all of the time.

“This was the case on Saturday, when there simply wasn’t enough staff to keep open the recycling centres at Cupar and Pittenweem.

“In these times when so many people are making huge efforts to do what they can to minimise any disruption, it beggars belief that some people can be so uncaring.

“They are a sad example of selfishness and environmental vandalism.”

He said council employees were already encountering difficulties as they strive to maintain services in the face of heavy odds and did not need additional burdens.

“These are probably the same people who contaminate their landfill bins at their homes and otherwise fail to use the council’s recycling services properly and, as a consequence, cost the council taxpayers in Fife millions every year,” he said.

“We are in difficult times, which will become even more difficult.

“Everyone must do what they can to help the society of which they are part, to navigate the difficulties successfully.

“Engaging in inconsiderate and illegal dumping isn’t how to do it.”

Picture: Neil Henderson. The piles of rubbish left outside Cupar recycling site by fly-tippers.