Professor John Robertson OBA
Having just replaced ‘Bonfire Night Disorder’, the Bee Gees soundtrack that was never used, as the headline story, ‘A 100 trucks over the border’, rejected by Johnny Cash, seems also to be of no interest to the newspapers.
As often before, a headline in the morning broadcast in BBC Breakfast, by a BBC Scotland reporter catches my eye. This morning, when she got to say ‘A HUNDRED TRUCKS’, she positively exploded like a demented infant teacher.
I thought – ‘I’ve seen that number before!’ and I had. April 26th 2025:
As toxic waste leaks from more than 100 landfills in England, Scotland’s sites are all known and level is now only one third, of that under Labour
In the Guardian:
More than 100 old landfills in England that may be contaminated with toxic substances have flooded since 2000, potentially posing a serious safety risk, it can be revealed.
Some of these former dumps containing possibly hazardous materials sit directly next to public parks and housing estates with hundreds of households, the analysis by the Greenpeace-funded journalism website Unearthed , in partnership with the Guardian, found.
Although councils are supposed to keep track of the dangers of these sites, funding has long since disappeared and some local authorities had no idea they were responsible, the investigation found.
What is the situation in Scotland after 18 years of SNP Government?
In 2007, in the last days of Labour, there were 110 known landfill sites. The data is checked for completeness by local authorities which, in Scotland, have not been subject to decades of Tory cost-cutting initiatives such as those mentioned in the Guardian report. There are currently only 40 landfill sites in Scotland.
Also:
Waste sent to landfill fell from around 7 million tonnes in 2005 to 2.3 million tonnes in 2022, and 2.0 million tonnes in 2023. Rapid decline in waste going to landfill recently, driven by shift from landfill to incineration.
https://www.gov.scot/publications/scotlands-circular-economy-waste-route-map-2030/pages/4/
Landfill under SNP is now only 33%, one third, of that under Labour
Footnote: Some folk have said to me that 100 trucks of waste going South is only fair given how much oil, gas, electricity, whisky, fish, and talent goes South every year.
Talking-up Scotland 'Albatraz' 
I guess the report was intended to conjure up an image of a convoy of 100 trucks rather than the reality of 2 per week.
She was using the ‘big number’ ruse.
it could be used as a ‘Better Together ‘argument – here is an example of Scotland benefitting from the Union by getting waste taken away, probably because Scots are incapable of managing it themselves.
Alasdair Macdonald
LikeLiked by 1 person
‘One expert said that equated to between 80 and 100 lorries crossing the border each day!’
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cj97renygrzo
LikeLike
Great article. And totally agree that they steal all all our best so they deserve all our shite too.
John Lawson
LikeLike
Good news on Scotland’s successful reduction in landfill requirement and excellent recycling commitment.
Also agree that, as England steals all our resources we might as well send them our shite too.
John Lawson
LikeLike
Incineration is a good thing…?
John H
LikeLike