In Thurso, a dog owner is urging Highland Council to take more action on fly-tipping after his pet was severely injured by rubbish dumped in the street. Ivor Manson has challenged the council’s response to his concerns, stating that despite writing to them a month ago, asbestos is now spilling onto the road. He has also had to pay a large vet bill for his dog, Storm, which required stitches after getting caught on the rubbish.
The incident has sparked concerns about the growing problem of fly-tipping in the area. Mr. Manson claims that the scale of the tipping is causing a health hazard in the Royal Terrace area, with concerns raised about the risk to children and adults. One social media commenter even suggested that the asbestos is now an airborne dust hazard, posing a risk to local residents.
Describing Highland Council’s response to his concerns as “as much use as a chocolate fireguard,” Mr. Manson is still waiting for a response from the local authority. He believes that they are not taking the issue seriously enough and is calling on them to take more action to prevent fly-tipping in the area.
In response, a Highland Council spokesperson stated that they take fly-tipping seriously and have fines of up to £20,000 for offenders. They also provide 21 recycling centers and more than 200 recycling banks across the Highlands, as well as working with social enterprise groups to help deliver recycling services and promote waste prevention.
However, Mr. Manson believes that more needs to be done, particularly in the Royal Terrace area. He is calling on Highland Council to investigate the issue further and take steps to prevent fly-tipping in the area. With concerns raised about the risk to public health, it is clear that action is needed to address the growing problem of fly-tipping in Thurso and across the Highlands.