'Disgraceful state': Row over litter management at Luss continues

Luss is in a “disgraceful state”, a conservation charity has said, amid a row over litter management.

Many Scots have flocked to Luss and Loch Lomond, which are among the country’s most popular beauty spots, to enjoy the soaring temperatures in recent weeks.

However, John Urquhart, chairman of Friends of Loch Lomond and the Trossachs group, has criticised an “inadequate management of litter” in the village and surrounding area over the summer months.

He has called on Argyll and Bute Council and the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park to provide better litter facilities and ensure bins are properly serviced.

“This happens every year, yet the two authorities responsible, Argyll and Bute Council and the National Park, still can’t get their act together,” he said in a statement.

“Luss is once more in a disgraceful state due to inadequate management of litter.

“It is not good enough for Argyll and Bute to fall back on their ‘Take your litter home’ mantra. Demonstrably, it doesn’t work.”

Mr Urquhart has said his own group has 18 bins in storage which could be immediately deployed in and around the area.

“What is needed are much better facilities and much better management in terms of servicing them,” he aded.

“Similarly, it is not good enough for the National Park just to say keeping places like Luss clear of litter is not their responsibility.”

‘We completely refute statements around responsibility’

In response, the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park said they have never stated that “Luss isn’t their responsibility”.

They also said they have put “considerable resources” into the management of litter in the park, however admitted that waste is an ongoing challenge due to the popularity of the site.

A spokesperson said: “We completely refute statements made by Friends of Loch Lomond in relation to our responsibility. We put considerable resources into managing litter in Luss as well as many of our other busy sites in the National Park.

“We have never stated that Luss isn’t the responsibility of the National Park Authority and we work closely with Argyll and Bute Council to target our resources as effectively as we can. It’s disappointing to see these efforts dismissed in the statement.

“We recognise that litter is an ongoing challenge at busy visitor destinations across the National Park, including Luss where on the busiest days litter can accumulate rapidly before it can be collected. Managing litter effectively is a shared responsibility between the National Park Authority, Local Authorities, landowners and visitors.

“At Luss, as is the case for the multiple site we manage across the Park, our Rangers carry out regular patrols to engage with and educate visitors on responsible litter behaviour.

“Our Estates Team provides daily waste management and removal services from our sites in the area, and our Environmental Officers monitor sites, report issues and remove litter to prevent environmental damage. Between 2023 and 2025 we have collected over 92,000kg of waste across the Park.

“We also provide financial support to Argyll and Bute Council for additional waste provision and uplift in Luss itself. We continue to invest in and maintain infrastructure at our busiest sites to keep pace with visitor numbers, particularly during peak season and periods of prolonged warm weather.

“As is the case with our partners at Argyll and Bute Council and many others, we continue to urge visitors to play their part and to take responsibility for their litter, as one part of our multifaceted approach to tackling the problem.”

Regarding Friends of Loch Lomond and the Trossachs’ offer of their 18 bins in storage, the park said the financial impact of additional bins is “minor”, but servicing the waste facilities would involve “significant” additional costs.

“We note the offer of additional bins made by the Friends of Loch Lomond in their statement to the media however – as Mr Urquhart will be aware – the cost of the bins themselves is relatively minor,” the spokesperson added.

“There are significant additional costs involved in servicing more bins and managing the litter they attract. We will continue to work constructively with the charity, as we always have.”

An Argyll and Bute spokesperson said: “We work hard year-round to do all we can as a council to keep Loch Lomond beautiful and have scheduled litter picks on the roadside and laybys. We would urge everyone who visits Loch Lomond to love it, not litter it.

“Our sincere thanks to the large number of volunteers across Argyll and Bute who do their bit to keep the area clean, and we support their efforts by providing bags and equipment. We share their frustration that people simply don’t take their litter home.

“We would love to do everything our communities want us to do, but sadly we are unable to meet the demands of servicing additional bins and the surplus waste they generate. Our message is clear, please keep your litter in your vehicle and take it home with you.”