Prestonpans Beach: Fly-tipping 'selfish' and 'infuriating'

On January 14, pictures were posted online of multiple objects, including pieces of wood, plastic and general bits of rubbish, being dumped on Prestonpans Beach. 

The fly-tipping incident occurred close to the town's Lidl store.

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The incident was reported to East Lothian Council and local authority workers cleaned up the mess. 

DJ Johnston-Smith, chairperson of Prestonpans Community Council, said: "After all of the incredible work done over the past year by the dedicated volunteers from the Prestonpans Beach Clean group to remove rubbish from our local beaches, it was absolutely infuriating to see this latest example of fly-tipping in the town.

"Scottish local authorities are forced to spend millions of pounds of public money per year to clear up the mess left by a few selfish and unscrupulous individuals who apparently have no regard to the common weal."

(Image: Liam Fisher) He added: "If residents are unable to avail themselves of the council's official special disposal service to uplift their larger items and waste materials, we encourage them to make absolutely certain that whoever they do ask to dispose of it is doing the job properly.

"A private agreement to take piles of stuff away from your front garden that simply sees it all ending up discarded in a local farmer's field, a railway siding or on our lovely shoreline, ultimately ends up costing all of us."

An East Lothian Council spokesperson said: “This matter was reported to us and the area was cleared up by council staff.

“Such behaviour is disappointing and shows no regard for the damage to the environment, the costs involved, and public safety.

“These incidents are always thoroughly investigated to identify the culprits and robust enforcement action will be taken against anyone found to be responsible.”

Julie-Ann Wright, leader of Prestonpans Beach Clean, said: "Since starting the Prestonpans Beach Clean initiative, I’ve been incredibly proud of the way our community has come together to make a real difference in our green spaces and along the coastline.

"Hearing about the recent fly-tipping is deeply disheartening, as it undermines the amazing progress we’ve achieved together.

"However, fly-tipping often points to a lack of awareness about accessible options for disposing of larger items responsibly.

"I’d like to see increased support in raising awareness and providing resources to make proper disposal easier for everyone.

"Together, we can continue to protect and enhance these spaces for the whole community to enjoy."