A CAMPAIGN is being launched to crack down on the amount of litter on the A1 between Haddington and Dunbar.

Large volumes of industrial rubbish can be spotted along the verges of the busy road, with police officers and community wardens highlighting the issue.

Jimmy Wilson, Dunbar’s community warden, raised the problem at a meeting of Dunbar Community and Police Partnership (CAPP).

He told the meeting: “There is a huge amount of plastic sheeting and stuff that comes off vehicles going to the [Dunbar] landfill site.”
Both Dunbar landfill site operator Viridor and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) are to be contacted, with feedback given to CAPP members at the next meeting on Wednesday.

Mr Wilson added: “It is all plastic sheeting and things like that.

“I know Amey do litter picks but it is not often enough.

“If it is coming from the landfill site, they have to take some responsibility.”

PC Gavin Ross agreed that it was an issue and set it as one of the group’s three priorities.

The police officer, who chairs the meetings, stressed that much of the rubbish was too big to be simply dumped out of a car window by a driver or passenger.

A spokeswoman for Viridor told the Courier: “Contractors bringing waste to our Dunbar landfill were regularly reminded of Viridor’s requirement for these companies to have the necessary procedures in place to prevent any littering. 

“This includes closed sheeting and netting.

“Viridor ensures no vehicles leave the site without the required sheets or closed nets and provides an area for contractors to brush out/clean trailers and containers.

“Following reports of littering on the A1 between Haddington and Dunbar we will investigate further with the contractors bringing waste to the Viridor site to ensure best practice procedures are in place.”