Comment posted Council enforcement staff to discuss fly tipping on Easdale Island by Maurice Brodie.
This land is not safe to be built upon because it is contaminated with buried toxic substances.
Maurice Brodie also commented
- All the more reason that the A&B Council enforcement staff in conjunction with SEPA conduct a full and thorough investigation to establish the identify of the anti-social culprit(s).
It would not be in the council’s interests to attempt a whitewash. - They will probably claim that this is what the “community” wants, which seems to be their standard statement.
- Fly tipping is a serious criminal offence punishable by fine and/or a jail term.
This section of land has been used as a dumping ground for builder’s waste for many years, although the problem certainly has got a lot worse since Eilean Eideal aquired the land. The published pictures only show the rubbish above ground, they don’t show all the builder’s waste that has been buried on this ground.
As well as the asbestos mentioned in the article it is likely that this land has been thoroughly contaminated with other toxic substances such as petrol, diesel, paint and CFCs from old fridges.
As has been mentioned in other posts, the islanders are well aware of who created all this mess. As can be seen from the pictures some of these items could not have been man-handled onto this ground it would require transporting using suitable vehicles. The question is who owns these vehicles and who has been using them?
Recent comments by Maurice Brodie
- BAE: Clyde gets off with 800 job losses and both yards staying open
I agree that the UK government will not place a large order for RN warships to be built in a foreign shipyard.It is perhaps significant that Portsmouth is not due to shut until after the Scottish Referendum.
- Margaret Thatcher dies
What a dreadful and disrespectful comment to make. You are truly obnoxious and disgraceful; nobody should rejoice at the death of another.At least all of the UK political parties have shown respect for Baroness Thatcher even if they fundamentally disagreed with her politics.
Newsie should ban you for such ill-thought and disgusting comments that go beyond the bounds of recognised decency.
- Wind energy may be controversial but the logistics and the skills are mesmeric
Well it’s a daily occurence. - Wind energy may be controversial but the logistics and the skills are mesmeric
Should the need arise the UK would probably import cheaper nuclear generated power from France rather than the expensive renewable energy from Scotland. - Easdale Island dump on a deadline
It would be unwise to ignore the regulator and it would be anti-social to ignore the wishes of the residents.
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Nothing is inconceivable on Easdale Island
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Most of this looks like builders’ rubbish to me – could this be correct? If it is then it shouldn’t be too hard to find out who is responsible.
I thought the island development group were keen to attract tourists, new residents and promote island sustainability. What has Donald Melville done about it? He lives on Easdale Island and as far as I’m aware is still a director of the development group. He was very keen to stand for the SNP in the local elections so must be eager to represent the community – what action has he taken to try to resolve the problem?
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I have just re-read your article and amended my response – I find it hard to believe that the community development company appear to show such a lack of responsibility for the land. Could it be possible that they are allowing this or perhaps even encouraging this to happen in order to ‘persuade’ the council that the land should be built upon?
The area that you describe is known to be frequented by otters and corncrake. Eilean Eisdeal should show serious concern for the threat to the environment. Have you asked Mike Mackenzie MSP, who also lives there, to comment?
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This land is not safe to be built upon because it is contaminated with buried toxic substances.
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Easdale is a tiny place where the bitterly divided inhabitants watch each other like hawks. I am sure that someone knows exactly who dumped this rubbish.
I would suggest that Eilean Easdale should mount a task force to clear this ASAP instead of whining to the council about it. The island already consumes a disproportionate amount of council resources.
By clearing this eyesore up the Trust would – for once – be doing something that would surely have the backing of the whole community.
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I agree – especially if Eilean Eisdeal have actually allowed this activity. Aren’t they supposed to be undertaking activities for the benefit of the community?
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I’m appalled. This is disgusting, and a disgrace. It’s not “fly tipping” – which to me means the odd cooker in a layby somewhere (bad enough, granted) – it’s deliberate dumping and careless ruination of what used to be a beautiful spot. How did that van get on to the island? It and everything else can, and should, be got off the same way.
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The dump site is at risk from flooding by the sea, with unpleasant consequences and hazards for passing boats. Have SEPA been informed?
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So the populace of the island are still behaving like bairns? A place that small it’s impossible to go to the lavvy without your neighbour learning what you had for dinner last night and how many sheets you use, so the idea they don’t know exactly who put what where and when is laughable.
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So who gets fuel from Brogans on the island.
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In answer to Db, yes the residents of Easdale certainly do know who is responsible for the fly tipping but are too afraid to say so.
Some residents have photo evidence of where the van and fuel tanks lived before they ended up in the “Rush and Gush”, and that is the south east promontory of the island, i.e. the area where Mike Mackenzie Builders Ltd built its last 3 houses. Yes, most of this waste originates from our MSP, with I might add with the full knowledge of the directors of Eilean Eisdeal, the so called “Trust”.
Yet again this shows the local MSP manipulating the directors of this charity for his own gain, and before I get censored for defamatory comments I can back up my statement with documentary evidence….as I’ve shown before.
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Think the SEPA gang will be on their way due to the potential for polution in particular from the fuel cages whether empty(ish) or not. The grey vehicle body is off an old BT truck i think.
Site looks like a builders yard, but obviously in the wrong place.
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Julian,
What do you think of Newsroom’s assertion that it is inconceivable that the Eilean Eisdeal Trust would have done this.
I gather that you believe it is all too conceivable.
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Does Easdale have a Freecycle or Freegle? Perhaps it should start one, a lot of those items could be easily put to new use.
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Perhaps Councillor John Semple could start a petition about the mess , I’m sure Mike Russell and the NFUS would be happy to sign it
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Maybe “Brogan Fuels” could be ask to collect there rubbish, or pay the bill for removing it.
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Lets be fair maybe the council officers don,t know what Mike MacKenzie looks like.He hasn,t been seen or heard from for so long surely he could appear at least once before the tourist seasons ends just like “Nessie”.
Great job if you can get it.
Councillor Louise Glen-Lee retiring from local politics at the next election and now Mike MacKenzie our illustrious MSP.supposedly up to no good again what will the SNP make of it.Still waiting for confirmation or denial about Louise not standing again from the SNP. surely they have asked her by now.
Cheers Neil.
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What was once a beautiful island and great spot to visit, is now marred by rubbish everywhere, generally unfriendly locals and a bad atmosphere.
Why not build a bridge across, and use the island for landfill?
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If the source of the fly-tipped junk can be clearly identified then it’ll be seen as a test of the true competence of SEPA and the Council’s environmental health department to take effective enforcement action. Otherwise they risk being seen as ‘toothless and useless’ – and perhaps (even worse) politically ‘malleable’.
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The smart money’s on SEPA sorting this out and ‘advising’ guilty parties.
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If you fill the holes with rubbish where would they skim stones for the championship?
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And I think that the smart money is deffinitely on Mike Mackenzie MSP not sorting it out! The man’s building firm had a history of making an unholy mess on the island to the detriment of both residents and visitors. Any comment from him yet?
So far the Highlands and Islands list MSP has, apparently, attempted to resolve the problem with emergency medical evacuation from Easdale Island and also the Seil Island sewage issue. He has not achieved any results that I have heard of.
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Fly tipping is a serious criminal offence punishable by fine and/or a jail term.
This section of land has been used as a dumping ground for builder’s waste for many years, although the problem certainly has got a lot worse since Eilean Eideal aquired the land. The published pictures only show the rubbish above ground, they don’t show all the builder’s waste that has been buried on this ground.
As well as the asbestos mentioned in the article it is likely that this land has been thoroughly contaminated with other toxic substances such as petrol, diesel, paint and CFCs from old fridges.
As has been mentioned in other posts, the islanders are well aware of who created all this mess. As can be seen from the pictures some of these items could not have been man-handled onto this ground it would require transporting using suitable vehicles. The question is who owns these vehicles and who has been using them?
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I recognise all of that stuff – it belongs to Mike MacKenzie the aggressive wee man that lives on the island! He’s your man Andy Barrie, lock him up!
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Any word from Mike Mackenzie MSP, Keren Cafferty or Donald Melville yet?
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Silence is not good.
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They will probably claim that this is what the “community” wants, which seems to be their standard statement.
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Newsroom: Have you heard anything – anything at all? Surely ‘the SNP’ has a comment on this situation, especially as Mackenzie, Melville and Cafferty all live on the island.
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What do you expect when you let a bunch of hippos and hippies live together , why is evetybody surprised
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OK – so there appears to be no comment from the key SNP figures, which include an MSP and two directors of the community ‘trust’, and who all live on the island. What an utter disgrace. It is clear just what the island residents are up against.
How about Mike Russell or Louise Glenn-Lee? SEPA?
Surely someone must be able to help protect the environment, wildlife, historic area and residents from such obnoxious behaviour?
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Everyone grab a shovel. It’s time for an asbestos treasure hunt.
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…and don the appropriate health and safety gear!
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This is a complete environmental disaster, toxic substances on public ground owned by the local community. As well as being an eyesore there are serious health and safety issues regarding this dumping of builder’s rubble etc. and an example should be made of the culprits to discourage others.
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Perhaps the involvement of the national press could shame the culprits into removing the mess .
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I quite agree with the treasure hunt for the asbestos in question. But what about the hunt for proper documents and safety proceedures that are legally necessary before the nasty dangerous asbestos can be removed in the first place.
Surely Mr Mackenzie MSP the builder responsible for this work will be able to produce the necessary documentation which will put everybodies minds at rest. Come on Mr Mackenzie make our day!
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Any movement of waste, particularly hazardous will surely require some documentation, and thus ensuring an identifiable paper trail relevant to said waste content.
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Guilty or not, this has turned into another one of those witchhunts that pop up on this website from time to time, with the mob baying for blood before the culprit has been identified. I wonder at any sane person who would enjoy living on the island in the face of this mob rule. It sounds like a madhouse.
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All the more reason that the A&B Council enforcement staff in conjunction with SEPA conduct a full and thorough investigation to establish the identify of the anti-social culprit(s).
It would not be in the council’s interests to attempt a whitewash.
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I very recently attended the funeral service of a colleague who had died from asbestosis, leaving a widow and young daughter. If asbestos has been illegally dumped on Easdale Island, then the perpetrator should be prosecuted forthwith.
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It is no witch hunt Andy, there is evidence that the culprit is indeed Mr Mike Mackenzie list MSP and all he needs to do is to present the proper authenticated documentation which will prove that this highly dangerous material was disposed of in a legal safe and correct manner. Silence on this subject will most certainly NOT be an acceptable response.
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I don’t particularly care if Mr MacKenzie is the guilty party or not, but the comments on this website would appear to show that he has been found guilty by the majority here, and that in many cases the thumbs indicate that witch hunt or hounding is the appropriate description. It is up to the official bodies to investigate and return their findings and only then can a finger be pointed with certainty. I am sure they will do it without any of the political point-scoring and verbal mugging which has been demonstrated on this thread.
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Let’s hope so. I think what you interpret as a “witch hunt” is perhaps a reflection of the frustration and anger felt by many in that community who seem to understand the cause of the problem yet find that no-one will take responsibility for dealing with it.
This situation would not be countenanced on mainland – why is it allowed on an island?
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Are the Eilean Eisdeal Directors in another mess of their own making?
http://www.easdalepeople.org.uk/
Looks like the stoneskimming competition might be cancelled.
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That’s rather inconvenient, especially given the event has just been featured in the Glasgow Herald Magazine; the Herald has a circulation figure of 46,000.
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Discussing this with a friend over a pint or two over the weekend she says she remembers (several years ago) a notice/letter posted on a board either in the village or ferry hut regarding the upgrade of the telephone line to the island, the end of approx 2 to 3 mile cable replacement ( the last stage of a long awaited upgrade at vast expense to the comms provider) suggesting that an islander was trying to to persuade BT submarine that he/she should get the burying rites for cable on island and then delayed progress with some claim on land ownership?? would not want to live there? Just leave one house , one flag!
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Apparently a resident, which appeared to be Mike Mackenzie, was involved in the delay of the project which took about about 6 months and which had a significant impact on access to broadband for local businesses but, more importantly, consequences for an islander who was desperate for the installation of an emergency helpline. There was huge implications for the safety of the resident in which Mackenzie seemed uninterested.
It’s no wonder he failed to get elected when he stood as a candidate in the local elections.
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If he was responsible for the delay why would he post a letter highlighting the fact? Having spoken to friend again she suggests the letter was written by another party highlighting the delay and who was responsible for it!Must be the place to NOT be at Hogmanay??or any other friendly handshaking occasion!
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You may be correct and have edited my original post. I have a copy of a letter which I believe was signed by BT giving details of the hold up for the project and which was put on public display. However, you are correct in saying that it may not be the same letter to which you refer.
Indeed, there are many people who avoid each other at Hogmanay but the holiday home owners have a good time.
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