RESIDENTS of Dumfriesshire are calling for easier access to local authority household waste recycling centres.
Complaints and concerns are being raised in regards to the online booking system established during the pandemic.
While the system worked well to limit the spread of the coronavirus, there is now a growing demand for the return of the more relaxed drop-in arrangements.
Dumfriesshire MP David Mundell, constituency MSP Oliver Mundell and Annandale North councillor Lynne Davis have taken up the cause on behalf of constituents.
David Mundell said: “This is a vital service and it is in everyone’s interest that the council encourage the public by making it easy to transport their waste for recycling at the network of centres.
“I regularly receive reports of items such as electrical appliances, white goods, televisions and old car batteries being dumped in places like woodlands and lay-bys.
“In one not untypical case this year, an old garden shed and its potentially dangerous contents were dumped next to the river on the Annandale Way, near Brydekirk.
“What those responsible did was clearly wrong but I suspect the culprits may have been put off by being restricted to booking in advance at the near-by recycling centre and a perception of intrusive record-keeping.”
Oliver Mundell has condemned all those who fly-tipped or appeared persistently addicted to throwing from vehicles smaller waste items such as cans, cigarette packets, carry-out meal wrappers and fast food drink cups — sometimes even throwing them at passerbys.
But he said: “Sadly, the reality appears some of the people who wrongly fly-tip items might as an alternative have used the recycling centres if they could turn up without being restricted to a specified time slot, booked in advance.
“I’ve had anecdotal evidence from constituents that the dumping problem has become worse since casual visits to recycling centres were phased out for understandable reasons at the time.
“I strongly favour a more relaxed access system if that leads to less littering and fly-tipping.”
Meanwhile, Councillor Davis appealed for feedback on the issue in her ward through social media.
She said: “I asked local people if they considered the online advance booking was useful or a hindrance?
“Whilst some liked the system, more indicated they preferred the freedom of turning up at the recycling centre when they had completed whatever task they were doing. They disliked being locked into a time slot.
“I was also concerned to find out that a relatively high percentage of people who currently book slots do not actually turn up for them. That seems to be a waste in itself.”
