Plans in place to reduce litter at Bannockburn High

Dec 7 2011 by Johnathon Menzies, Stirling Observer Wednesday

A SENIOR pupil at Bannockburn High School has stressed steps are being taken to reduce the amount of litter dropped by youngsters in the town.

A letter published in the Stirling Observer on November 30 alleged youngsters attending the school regularly leave the remnants of their lunches lying around following each afternoon break.

It cited several pupil-led groups within the school – such as those promoting Fair Trade in the developing world – and went on to suggest staff and youngsters should focus their attention on improving the environment “closer to home”.

The anonymous correspondent said: “If the Green Team could take a walk either to the shop in Wishart Drive or the Co-op store in Pike Road they will see the daily mess of pizza plates, Pot Noodle tubs, empty plastic bottles, sandwich wrappers and plastic forks.

“The mess is left by pupils visiting these shops at lunchtime. Perhaps a little more attention to matters closer to home would not go amiss.

Disgusting

“I can assure you if this disgusting mess was to happen in King Street or Port Street in Stirling it would not be tolerated.”

In response, S5 Bannockburn pupil Iona Kimmitt wrote a letter - published in today’s Observer - taking issue with the criticism and said projects were underway to address the rubbish-related problems.

Miss Kimmitt wrote: “As a member of Bannockburn High School’s eco-schools group, I would like to say that this issue (the litter) came to our attention a while ago, and we have been working in conjunction with Stirling Council for more litter bins on these routes.

“Several litter bins bearing the school crest will soon be placed along the most littered routes around the school.

Campaigns

“In addition to these bins, the eco-schools group have run several campaigns over previous years to reduce litter, and will continue to raise the issue through school assemblies in the future.”