Press Release

14 FEBRUARY 2006

 

LITTER CLEARANCE:  STORNOWAY HARBOUR.

Stornoway Port Authority in association with Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar is this week commencing a regular beach clearance programme within the Harbour Limits.

This follows the identification of a budget by the Port Authority which has been matched by Councillor Angus Nicolson through the Ward Initiative Scheme. In addition the Comhairle has provided a skip for the disposal of the litter. Following advertisement in the local press four expressions of interest were considered with the lowest tender received from Mr. B. Macleod, 10 Tong, Isle of Lewis, being accepted. The initial contract period is for one year, but it is hoped that future budgets may be identified to continue this initiative.

The Port Authority would appeal to all users of and visitors to the Harbour to use the receptacles provided for litter collection and to all boat owners to comply with anti pollution regulations and desist from allowing contaminated bilge water from accessing the Harbour.

Commenting Chief Executive John J Maclennan said, "I understand the contractor collected 62 full bags of litter, 17 bags from the beach in front of the Castle on Monday afternoon, and a further 45 bags from the Bayhead River today, Tuesday.  If harbour users were more thoughtful in the disposal of their litter, and boat owners avoided pumping contaminated bilge water and oil into the harbour it would go a long way to cleaning up the environment within the Bay at Stornoway”.