AN MP is demanding Amazon takes urgent action to clean up rubbish outside one of its giant warehouses – including bottles of urine alleged to have been left by drivers.
Shocking pictures show masses of rubbish strewn next to a road opposite the firm’s premises in Bathgate, West Lothian.
Visible are several bottles said to be used by desperate drivers to relieve themselves as they wait for access to the building.
Hannah Bardell, MP for Livingston, said she would be writing to Amazon to express her concerns and has urged constituents to get in touch about their experiences of the problem.
Peter Gibb took the pictures this week, showing that the grounds of the depot are immaculate but the verge on the opposite side of the road is like a rubbish dump.
Among the detritus are several plastic bottles which Peter, 37, from Dunfermline, Fife, says were used by delivery drivers to relieve themselves as they waited.
The construction worker posted the images online with the caption: “Amazon this is your store in Bathgate. This is shocking.
“Disgusting lazy gits.”
Speaking today, Peter, who is working on the construction of a new Aldi store nearby, said: “There is a lot of pressure on the drivers as they get paid per item they deliver so they want in and out of there is fast as they can.
“Why not put bins right along the street and some portable toilets? I’m sure if there are toilets next to where they park they would use them.
“Working there on Sunday morning was a shock. I had to track a digger over some of the bottles of urine. They were breaking and the smell was disgusting.”
Speaking today, Ms Bardell said: “Everyone has a responsibility to look after public spaces, especially big corporations and large employers.
“While I welcome the comments made by Amazon about collecting the litter and speaking to their carrier partners, this is also an issue of significant concern in relation to workers’ conditions.
“I will be writing to Amazon to express these concerns and would encourage constituents to get in touch with my office with more information, which I will raise with Amazon directly.”
An Amazon spokesman said: “As a responsible neighbour on an industrial park used by many businesses, we take seriously any allegation of littering by drivers for independent delivery providers.
“There is no excuse for doing so as we provide a range of facilities, including bathrooms and litter bins for their use. We have arranged for a litter collection and also immediately informed our carrier partners about the concerns raised and reminded them of the behaviour expected of drivers.”
A spokesman for West Lothian Council said: “We will check the ownership of the ground around the various businesses and then contact the owners to make them aware of their responsibility in relation to keeping their ground litter free.
“If litter is found, we will also visit the businesses within the estate and ask them to speak to their own staff and suppliers regarding all the concerns raised.”
