LITTERING has been branded “a disease” by the owners of a farm near Helensburgh after a group of noisy youngsters a huge heap of empty bottles and broken glass behind near their property on Garraway Glen.
A social media post shared by the owners of Townhead Farm gathered more than 5,700 views and has received a wide array of criticism from local residents condemning the mess left behind.
The post was shared last Sunday, showing evidence of the litter discarded by the group.
John Penniston, who runs the farm with wife Deborah, wrote: “It would have been nice if they had taken their rubbish home with them. I have taken three buckets full back to my bins so far with still more to collect. This includes empty bottles of Buckfast, Glens vodka and numerous bottles of Bud and Corona.
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“For anyone walking their dogs at the top of the Glen please be aware that there is a quantity of broken glass that I will aim to clean away in the morning.”
Responding to the post, one Facebook user said: “I can’t take dogs and kids up here for walks on our doorstep anymore because of this consistent vandalism, already had a vet trip due to broken glass.”
Another added: “That is disgusting. As if you haven’t got enough to do running the farm, making deliveries and attending farmer’s markets and seeing to your family. Those responsible have no sense of responsibility.”
Mr Penniston told the Advertiser: “Littering is a disease of the modern day that afflicts large numbers of people, yet impacts on all of humanity, the environment and the world in which we live.
“It’s very easy to blame the frustrations of Covid restrictions for this. However, littering is still a crime and the lack of respect for public space and environment by the perpetrators, deserves some closely supervised isolation.”
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The Advertiser recently reported on litter left behind by campers at Ardmore Point, while earlier in the summer we highlighted concern over littering at Kidston Park and fly-tipping at Glen Fruin and on the Carman Road between Cardross and Renton.
We’ve also reported on the efforts of the Plastic Free Helensburgh group to spread community awareness of the area’s litter problem by encouraging families and individuals to hold their own clean-ups while Covid-19 restrictions prevent larger-scale events.
Mr Penniston continued: “The disease initially manifests itself in the mind of the individual, such that they have no ownership or responsibility for packaging of items in their possession and as a result these can be discarded anywhere and at any time.
“As the disease develops, the disregard for packaging and its proper disposal spreads.
“What was initially a sneeze or a cough, has mutated into a full blown fever and there is now no sense of ownership for items the packaging contained, items that are deemed to have no further value and ultimately, any item that can be dumped.
“We must all learn to take greater ownership of items within our possession, vaccination against the littering disease being no more than improving collective education and understanding on the disposal of waste.
“The alternatives of further constraints on individual freedom, higher punitive awards and social isolation of the perpetrators are no more palatable than the consequences of the littering disease going unchecked.”
An Argyll and Bute Council spokesperson said: “It is shameful that anyone would choose to leave litter anywhere. If bins are full, then people should take their litter away with them. In no circumstances is it acceptable to leave rubbish behind.”
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