A Perth and Kinross councillor is calling on tougher sanctions for litter louts.
Cllr Caroline Shiers was disappointed to collect a bagful of rubbish as she walked her dog last weekend.
And she suspects a lot of the roadside rubbish is tossed out of the windows of passing vehicles.
The Conservative member for Blairgowrie and Glens was out walking the family pet.
She told the PA: “As I often do, I took a bag with me and was disappointed that yet again, I could easily fill it.
“We live off the main road but it is a cut through from the A94 between Forfar and Meigle and I can only presume a lot of the rubbish is thrown from vehicles.
“There are always energy drinks cans, food packaging and often entire bags of rubbish that looks like someone has been tidying up their vehicle then putting it all in one bag and disposing of it by the side of a field.”
Cllr Shiers said she would love to not have to pick up other people’s rubbish but doing so “makes a huge difference” if everyone keeps their areas clear.
Ultimately the Conservative councillor would like to see stronger action taken against litter louts.
She said: “I would like to see more done to prosecute those who fly tip and really cause major problems in rural areas, but litter also blights towns and the countryside and we need to look at ways of reducing the problem across the board.
“Fundamentally this is the actions of people and people need to start taking responsibility and think about the environmental consequences of their actions.”
Cllr Shiers said she recently discussed litter picking at the Blair in Bloom annual general meeting.
Groups such as Blair in Bloom have a supply of litter picking equipment as part of an initiative by Perth and Kinross Council.
And since the pandemic Perth and Kinross Council has reported an increase in the number of people wishing to litter pick.
The council has teamed up with a range of community councils, community groups and businesses who host five or 10 litter pickers for borrowing and sharing locally.
There is at least one host in each of the Perth and Kinross's 12 wards listed here: https://www.pkc.gov.uk/media/47202/Litter-Picker-Hosts/pdf/1220_-_Table_of_Hosts.pdf?m=637444076279800000
