Campaigners Dump Rubbish On Fife Council’s Doorstep
- Council Tastes Its Own Medicine

Outside Fife House in Glenrothes on Thursday 13th June 2002, Fife-based environmental campaigners demonstrated their opposition to Fife Council’s plans to redevelop a former open-cast site for use as a recycling and landfill site. Despite claims by the would-be developers to the contrary, FifeWest Action Group (FWAG) have organised significant opposition to the development which has led to Fife Council receiving around 3,000 letters of objection from local residents.

FWAG have suggested that their difficulties in obtaining up to date traffic figures mean that either the Council has been withholding that information, or that they are about to make a decision on the future of the site without full command of the facts.

FWAG delivered letters inviting local councillors to attend a conference on 27th June 2002 at which they will state their arguments for rejection of proposals for the site, which they claim will lead to Fife becoming a dumping ground for Scotland’s rubbish. FWAG will also outline their alternative solution to the waste problem in Fife and the desperately low rates of recycling. They claim that a three-bin system such as that being piloted by West Lothian Council would be far more effective a response.

Fife Council are understood to be in favour of supporting Alba Resource Recovery’s proposal for redevelopment that would see a landfill site created in close proximity to a prominent local burn. FWAG are concerned that leachate from the landfill could pollute the burn, and the River Ore which it joins at the South East of Glenrothes.

FWAG also point to the disproportionately high rates of Broncho-inhaler use within the areas of Ballingry and Lochore, immediately adjacent to the proposed development as a ‘proxy indicator’ of poor air quality.

FWAG spokesperson Lorna Bett said of the demonstration,

"Councillors are the people’s representatives on all local issues, but the strength of support we have received from the residents of Fife gives us a responsibility to say clearly to Fife Council that the people of Fife do not want this development. The success that West Lothian Council are already having shows that separating waste at source is practical and can immediately achieve recycling rates of 30% or more. "

FWAG symbolically dumped rubbish at the front of Fife House as part of the demonstration on Thursday, but they also took responsibility for its removal afterwards.

"We didn't just wash our hands of this rubbish, or palm the job off to a private company," said Carolyn Walker, a group member from Kinglassie. "We showed that we are more than happy to deal with our rubbish at source."

Pictures - click the pics for large view (open in new window)

Demonstrators prepare for action 1.

Demonstrators prepare for action 2.

Stating the case 1.

Stating the case 2.

Demonstrators pose with Bruce Crawford MSP.