Worrying discovery in water culvert

Sir, My weekly litter collection between Spean Bridge and Unachan crossroads occasionally comes up with some surprises, as it is usually takeaway food packaging, empty energy drinks and beer cans, plastic bottles and cigarette packets.

But my collection on Saturday was rather disturbing when I found a tightly tape-wrapped blue polythene bag containing used engine oil, which was dumped in a water-filled ditch by a lay-by at the above crossroads.

The bag was very heavy and slightly leaking when it was removed.

I can’t imagine what kind of person goes to the trouble of doing this when used oil can be taken to the recycling centre in Fort William. The oil would have probably gone unnoticed, flowing into a culvert then open watercourse feeding the River Spean.

Something else unusual was the number of heavy duty protective gloves, mostly of the same make, all found on the grass verge within a space of a few metres. I’m sure the owners of these gloves could be found using DNA fingerprinting. And would they be discarded knowing the damage they could cause to grass- cutting machinery?

Is it just laziness, a lack of knowledge, or both? A Robinson, Spean Bridge.