FED-UP residents have hit out after piles of rubbish were dumped in a car park next to Johnstone Town Hall.
Images of the unsightly litter were shared widely on social media, with many people expressing their disgust at the mess.
There were also complaints about the garbage leaving a foul smell in the area.
Responding to a Facebook post about the mess, Nicola Drummond, environmental co-ordinator at Renfrewshire Council, said: “The big metal green bin, the red one and the purple are owned and serviced by separate recycling companies.
“The difficulty is that people think they don’t have to go to the dump, they can just leave waste here.
“When there is too much of it, this is what happens.”
Councillor Andy Doig, who represents Johnstone North, Kilbarchan, Howwood and Lochwinnoch, added: “I share the concerns of constituents who have contacted me to raise the issue.
“It’s a communal area right in the middle of Johnstone and a very densely populated part of the town.
“There are a lot of tenement properties round about and I think it’s a real health hazard.”
Renfrewshire Council confirmed the litter has been removed.
Councillor Cathy McEwan, convener of the Infrastructure, Land and Environment Policy Board, said: “It is important that those who are leaving waste like this recognise it is unacceptable and constitutes fly-tipping.
“If the recycling bins are full, waste should be taken to one of our recycling centres or disposed of through their household recycling collection.
“Our waste team have removed the rubbish to ensure our community is as clean and tidy as it can be but no general waste should be left at these bins at any time.
“We are in contact with private contractors who have recycling bins at this location to ensure collections take place as often as possible.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here