Scotland the Dump

Instead of focusing on Boris Johnson’s bridge distraction, lets focus on Beauforts Dyke – and the wider toxic legacy of the British State. Share this poster we created in collaboration with graphic artist Andy Arthur.

 

Comments (34)

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  1. David says:

    And in Nobel Explosives sites as well, , you know the ones who give Peace Prizes, left their crap everywhere
    Nobel the first private defense contractor

  2. James Robertson says:

    That question sometimes asked, ‘If we’re such a drain on the UK why are they so keen to keep us?’, is at least partially answered by the above map.

    1. Yes partly as a useful repository and partly as a military base.

    2. Jo says:

      Absolutely!

  3. Richard Easson says:

    I’m surprised the Isle of May was just mentioned with no details. When I worked at Rosyth dockyard and RNAD Crombie we loaded tons of armaments in brand new boxes to be dumped off the Isle of May.
    When the Fleet came in or sometimes just bigger vessels like Carriers samples were tested and if any failed the whole lot was dumped. Oops I’ve just broken the Official Secrets Act but if a government minister can do it that will be all right then?

    1. Peter Serman says:

      Hi Richard. I too worked at Rosyth and you are quite correct, everything was dumped rather than return stores to the vittulling depot. From the sailors I dealt with, they duped food and massive amounts of unused tins of paint in the Forth. Anything they were supposed to have used in their time away was kicked overboard.

  4. Janet Fenton says:

    Thanks so much for this useful resource.

  5. Gray says:

    The map exposes the stark reality of what Scotland means to England .
    Apart from stripping us of our wealth we are its dustbin.
    Thanks for info disturbing as it is.
    This is another example of what NS should be broadcasting to the Scottish public.

  6. Malky Mack says:

    I’d like to see a corresponding version covering England. It would likely be a bit different me thinks

  7. Malkybob says:

    And it’s all those deep fried Mars Bars that we (never) eat that makes us so unhealthy.

  8. Alasdair Macdonald says:

    This is a very good poster and one which I hope will be used during the campaign to change sufficient minds to get the polls significantly above 50% for independence. After independence, we will, of course, still have these items on our land and in our waters, and I would expect that in negotiations to redistribute the assets and debts of the UK, that we will be liable for only 8% of the costs.

  9. Douglas Porter says:

    I hadn’t realized just how much of this filthy waste was dumped in and around Scotland. Is there a diagram showing the dumping grounds in England, Wales and Northern Ireland?

  10. Iain McNab says:

    Perish the thought, but what would happen if it exploded?

    Has a risk and or impact assessment ever been conducted, not just for a Big Bang, it also the the constant munitions leaking into the sea?

    1. Janet Fenton says:

      Scottish Government has responsibility through civil contingency act for accidents etc. and should conduct risk assesments. Not just lV Bridges! This could provide an appropriate route for Scotgove to question UK actions and behaviours, past and present.

  11. Lorna Campbell says:

    And we wonder why we are top of the poll for just about every Western disease: cancer; heart disease; neurological illnesses. I was laughed at by Unionists (and others) when I mentioned these facts about weapons dumping some time ago, and how that might well affect our health. Also, when I had the gall to suggest that Welsh valleys had been flooded to supply water for Liverpool and other big English cities. That provided hilarity for some time. I am presently being sniggered at and cold shouldered for daring to suggest that the Treaty of Union is the proper route to independence based on England’s breach of contract since 1707 and its ultra vires behaviour towards Scotland. I await with bated breath until a person of the independista male persuasion decides that is the case. Prophets and women in their own lands… How Late it was, How Late…

    1. David says:

      I believe you’re correct, and something I’ve been saying for at least 6 year.
      The document written is still inforce and it matters not a jot , whether it was 1707 or 5.07 pm………It’s a contract,
      Even if you forget constitunal law and use contract law only a case could be brought.
      If you took it a little further damages could be viable,,,,,,,,,,,As i typed that I thought 8% judicial interest from 1707

      1. Lorna Campbell says:

        Thank you, David. I wasn’t trying to claim that I was the only one, just that, for some reason, when a woman says something pertaining to a serious matter, it has to be verified by a man. No offence to all you kind gents on here, but I do hope that changes in an independent Scotland. I have spent a great deal of my life checking and verifying facts, sometimes meeting a dead end, but it’s always worthwhile. It’s often amazing just what you can turn up. It really, really worries me that a second indyref is the orthodoxy right now because, even in negotiations with the UK, the Treaty will have to come into play or we will lose out big time. Resiling the Treaty demands no majority for YES, just the ability to be able to show that a large percentage of the people in Scotland want it resiled, along with a watertight case against England and England-as-the-UK that it has breached an international agreement. International recognition would come as a bonus.

  12. Rosalind says:

    Much of the munitions was dumped in shallower water inshore of Beauforts Dyke because the boat skippers had a faster turnaround and made more money. It has washed up on Ayrshire beaches from time to time.

  13. Wul says:

    When I was in primary school we collected money to send to poor, backward, African villagers who, until clever white men enlightened them, were unaware that using watercourses for latrines was unhealthy. ( At least, that’s what we were told)

    At the same time, our clever masters were creating and dumping infinately more deadly waste upwind and off shore of our biggest towns. It’s a funny old world.

  14. Richard Cadogan says:

    I have recently visited Scotland and there are vast areas of great natural beauty.Those areas not invaded by large scale habitats or industrial buildings.
    Quite wonderful.
    But equally, due to the total inactivity of the Scottish government there are vast areas that can be only described as a DUMP.
    Decay and waste seem to be the overwhelming features of most of Scotland’s towns and cities.
    Shocking road surfaces and deserted shops and buildings.
    The SNP have been blind to all this and spend all their time shouting.
    Nobody is interested in listening, they should do some real work and attend to people’s needs instead of shouting about only one thing. Independence

    1. Janet Fenton says:

      What a pity, Richard Cadogan, that as a visitor to Scotland you have not had the chance to see all the strong action undertaken not only by the SNP, but through crossparty collegiate action in so many imaginative ways that tackle the terrible effect that on-going and consistently undemocratic decisions made by people that we never voted for. It is those decisions and the callous disregard for people whose votes cannot ensure representation that have our country in the state you describe when it comes to infrastructure, particularly roads and the demise of our high street shops. Since you describe yourself as a visitor, I can understand that you may have gained an anecdotal impression of SNP neglect in favour of shouting about independence, probably emanating from some less responsible red top media that has a non Scottish interest in protecting the status quo. You probably have not had time to actually look at the parliamentary record on the Scottish Government’s actions – and legislation from across the party divide – on responding to needs through the baby box, free at point of access medication, tuition fees to ensure that the limitations created by the politics of economic polarity at least offer some chance for our young people in getting the education they need. Just at the start of this parliamentary session Emma Harper MSP and SNP member introduced a Motion at our Parliament to celebrate and consider how Scotaland can contribute to ensuring that women’s voices are heard in conflict resolution and that the disproportionate impact of war on women is addressed. It was supported by MSPs who made supportive speeches from the Scottish Labour,Scottish Greens, Lib Dems and the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party. I suggest a trawl through FMQuestion Time and count the number of times Nicola Sturgeon has mentioned independence in comparison to other topics of concern to the people of Scotland.
      Perhaps you may reflect on our vast areas of natural beauty and consider who benegfits from them financially, and why.

    2. Alasdair Macdonald says:

      This is patronising condescension, Mr Cadogan.

    3. David says:

      “But equally, due to the total inactivity of the Scottish government there are vast areas that can be only described as a DUMP.
      Decay and waste seem to be the overwhelming features of most of Scotland’s towns and cities.
      Shocking road surfaces and deserted shops and buildings.
      The SNP have been blind to all this and spend all their time shouting.”

      Utter P…..nonsense.
      Firstly you attempt to blame Scottish Government and by implication the SNP, Personally I can’t stand Sturgeon’s SNP,
      Take ICI or Nobel Explosives in 1870 or thereabouts they built an Explosive plant at Ardeer ( one in Annan) It brought work to the area, the councils for the first 50 years saw the area grow, and spent money like there was no tomorrow, other area like Glengarnock had Colvilles and Knox, the place too was thriving,
      The last 50 British Steeel closed , ICI were cutting back the 50 or 60 buses that trouped the workers to ICI started to decrease, and Guess what ? No one noticed or cared,,,,,,,,,,Brian Donohoe now Peer of the Parish , promoted Irvine for a new paper mill, and the former Steel Mill lay like a tip, Kilbirnie was simply wrecked( a town that had three ironmongers on the main street)
      If Dunderheed had promoted Glengarnock as opposed to Irvine , no additional cost to upgrade the water supply to the paper mill , would have been requires, after all the steel mill used more water than the paper mill and had it’s own lochs, People were there to be employed all within a mile,………That employment would have kept the Garnock Valley alive ….Instead the area died
      Much the same with Ardeer, What was interesting ICI vetoed any large development s, stating “we’ll employ all”………
      The point of this ……….There was NO Scottish parliament or government…These events pre-dated it by 15 years at least
      The place was wrecked by Labour and the Tories, I tend to blame Labour more so,main riding roughshod over Kier Hardie’s ideals and principals

      What are you expecting Brigadoon?…….Dream on………..If you didn’t grow up in the place, observing what goes on around you,read about it…………..Play “Letter from America” on You Tube
      BUT don’t blame the SNP for something they didn’t

  15. Ian Gray says:

    It would be interesting to see a comparison with other areas of Britain, e.g . Wales, Cornwall, and other places remote from larger areas of population in England.
    Maybe that would put your chart into even greater focus and explain why Scotland must be denied independence at all costs by Westminster

    1. Janet Fenton says:

      I’m not seeing any logic in Mr Gray’s statement, pithy as it may sound. Scotland does not get to choose what is dumped here. No matter how hard we vote, All the Scottish MPs in Westminster cannot wash away these spots

    2. Alan Reid says:

      ” ………………..explain why Scotland must be denied independence at all costs by Westminster”.

      Ian, With respect, Scotland is a free country.
      The reason Scotland is not independent today is because in 2014, we Scots freely voted to remain within the United Kingdom.

      On the subject of the historic dumping of toxic substances: that is certainly a great concern – but as Scots we no doubt actively took part in it, and were complicit in the decisions to do so.

      It is bogus and disingenuous to try and make a case for separation on the historic actions of the British state in which we Scots were active participants.

  16. Chris J says:

    This is so upsetting and just goes to show how much Westminster has used Scotland as a trash can. Is there a similar map for the rest of the UK to highlight the difference between the individual countries?

    1. Janet Fenton says:

      I don’t want to seem harsh on the folk in England, but the point about what is dumped on Scotland, is that it is done so as a result of gvt. policies , which, like most of Westminster’s policies have been voted against by a democratically elected majority in our parliament and by a clear majority of our elected representatives at Westminster. If our parliament has voted for this shit, it would be crap but we would be in a difficult place in arguing about it. As things stand, it’s outrageous in its audacity, which is the nature of empires.

      1. Alan Reid says:

        Yes, Janet …… a British empire in which we Scots were enthusiastic and leading members.

        1. Janet Fenton says:

          That was then, and this is now. An informed (more thanks to the likes of Bella, and citizen advocacy than UK-controlled popular media, has led the Scottish electorate to use their votes in what is clearly a fairer and more representative system in order to make a clearly articulated different decision than decisions made outside Scotland, on nukes, on the climate emergency, on equality of opportunity, on welcoming incomers and on Europe . That is persistently disregarded and the people who lived here come to harm as a result. Empire days are done, as Hamish Henderson wrote – for a protest at the most toxic bit of the dump in 1960, Polaris,
          ‘Broken faimlies in lands we’ve harriet will curse Scotland The Brave nae mair nae mair…’

          1. Alan Reid says:

            Hmmm, Janet ……. People in Scotland, the UK and across Europe are all today much more environmentally aware than they were in WW1/WW2 and the Cold War.
            And it’s good that the days of our Scottish empire are no more!

            But I’m unconvinced that this “toxic dump” can be fed into a wider narrative for independence; Scots need to take responsibility for our own actions in the past – and stop hiding behind the British state.

            The chart is a wee bit misleading: don’t you think? Unless I missed the “bang” – there was no nuclear weapons testing in Scotland, so why even mention a Stacks of Duncansby proposal? In addition, I haven’t read that an independent Scotland will need no armed forces, therefore it will still require weapons ranges at places like Cape Wrath, Tain and Dundrennan.

            Armament factories (like Gretna) were needed at a time of national crisis, provided local employment, and made a few Scottish capitalists very rich in the process! Furthermore, in the context of the 1950/60s, the promise of cheap nuclear power was part of the “new white heat of technology” – and many Scots would have been thrilled to secure high-tech jobs in such an industry. We know different today!

            To sum-up: I think the author of this map had a rather too obvious political agenda, and the presentation of data without historical context is always very unconvincing.

  17. Isobel Milligan says:

    Shocking truth about the fairness of this sad UNION

  18. p says:

    I never knew any of this. It is time for Scotland to take up arms , a proper revolution , and get rid of the scum who control us.

    1. David says:

      A worthy idea, BUT totally wrong

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