More than £215,000 has gone to 57 projects, reaching from the Solway Firth to the Shetland Islands, received the grants as part of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency’s (SEPA) programme of targeted clean up campaigns in urban and rural communities, which ran until March.

The awards ranged from £150 for the removal of fly tipping in Lochgilphead to larger projects like Solway Firth Partnership (£22,000) for clearing 67 tonnes of fly tipping and coastal debris.

Colin Bayes, director of environmental protection and improvement, said: “The health and well-being of people in Scotland is closely linked to the quality of their local environment.

“SEPA’s programme of funding for targeted clean-up campaigns supported, for a short time, direct intervention to tackle many of the environmental concerns raised by local communities and businesses, where there was no other simple or obvious solution.

“We hope that this initial success will encourage the promotion of lasting solutions to what have often been persistent environmental concerns and that these communities will continue to appreciate and enjoy the benefits of an improved environment.”

Luke Walsh

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