NEW legislation aimed at tackling fly-tipping is to be introduced to the Scottish Parliament by a senior Tory MSP. 

Murdo Fraser, who represents Mid Scotland and Fife, said he has started work with Holyrood's Non-Government Bills Unit on the new law. 

It aims to crack down on those caught fly-tipping by increasing fines and making offenders liable.

Scottish Land and Estates (SLE) welcomed the intention to introduce a Members' Bill to tackle the “scourge of fly-tipping”.

NFU Scotland also called for action, branding fly-tipping a “permanent scar on our natural environment”.

It said cases in the past year alone have included rotting meat, hazardous asbestos waste and builder’s rubble, with farmers often left to foot the bill.

Mr Fraser recently hosted a meeting on the issue with various organisations including representatives of Police Scotland, NFU Scotland, the Woodland Trust, Keep Scotland Beautiful and SLE.

He said: “I’m thankful to everyone who attended our round table meeting, which proved to be very productive.

“Everyone who attended acknowledged that something needs to be done to address this growing problem.

“I am focused on changing the law to clamp down on fly-tipping by toughening up fines to act as more of a deterrent, as it is apparent that the current penalties are not working.

“I am also keen to examine how we can shift the liability for cleaning up fly-tipping to the offenders who ditch the waste, instead of the current unfair practice where innocent land owners are accountable, and how to better collect information on fly-tipping.

“While I will still be meeting a range of other key interested groups on this topic, after such an encouraging initial response, I have decided to introduce a Members’ Bill to make the necessary changes to the law.

“Cutting down on the inconsiderate crime of fly-tipping would deliver a huge boost to Scotland’s environment in the year of Cop26.”

Martin Kennedy, president of NFU Scotland, said: “Fly-tipping is a permanent scar on our natural environment

"Despite recycling centres re-opening, fly-tipping and illegal dumping incidents are still being recorded daily by NFU Scotland members and are a continuous blight on rural Scotland.

“Cases in the past year alone have included rotting meat, hazardous asbestos waste, domestic appliances, household waste, builder’s rubble, garden cuttings, pallets, and garage waste, including tyres and car batteries. 

"Farmers are most often left to foot the bill for disposal - that is fundamentally unfair and must change.”

Sarah-Jane Laing, chief executive of SLE, said Scotland "needs to end the scourge of fly-tipping". 

She said: "Better reporting channels, correlation of national reporting, stronger penalties and shifting liability from the affected landowners to the source of the waste are all crucial to effectively tackling fly-tipping.

“We welcome Mr Fraser’s intention to introduce a Members’ Bill as it is clear current sanctions are not acting as a deterrent and need strengthened.”

It came as researchers warned plastic debris found in thousands of nests across the north-west of Europe poses a serious threat to seabirds in the region.

A four-year study was led by scientists at the North Highland College's Environmental Research Institute, part of the University of the Highland and Islands.

Observers visiting seabird colonies for other monitoring activities were asked to help gather data as a cost effective and environmentally friendly way to conduct the study.

Researchers examined 10,274 nests across the UK, Norway, Iceland, Sweden and the Faroe Islands - with 12 per cent of them found to contain plastic debris.

Information was collected from 14 seabird species in 84 colonies between 2016 and 2020.

Atlantic puffins were found to be the most affected species, with 67% of their nests found to contain plastic.

Dr Neil James, a post-doctoral research associate at the Environmental Research Institute, was one of the scientists involved in the project.

He said: "Marine plastic pollution is an increasing global environmental issue which poses a threat to marine biodiversity.

"Seabirds are particularly affected because of the risk of entanglement or ingestion.

"Our study found that a significant number of nests included plastic debris, with some species more likely to incorporate it than others."

The results of the study are published in the Marine Pollution Bulletin.