HUMAN excrement and bottles of urine are a common find around Droitwich lay-bys and industrial estates, The Standard can reveal.
According to Wychavon District Council, it is an ‘ongoing issue’ its contractors deal with on a ‘regular basis’, and The Droitwich Spa Litter Squad said it cleaned volumes of human discharge – along with discarded sex toys – yearly.
After heading out to investigate the issue, Droitwich Standard reporter Charlotte Albutt helped collect eight bags of human poo and 12 bottles of urine in just two hours – some in trees and bushes on the Berry Hill Industrial Estate and along the A38.
Sharon Casswell, Head of Client Services for Wychavon District Council, said she was appalled but not surprised.
“We believe this is largely the result of the behaviour of some lorry and delivery drivers, but there really is no excuse for this.
“Unlike some other councils, we continue to provide public toilets, and there are also commercial services with toilet facilities available in the area.”
Some Droitwich Spa Litter Squad members have reportedly slipped on human excrement in bags on embankments.
Clive Shearman, chairman of the Droitwich Spa Litter Squad, said: “If you are going to have a poo – don’t bag it – if you are going to have a wee – pour it down the drain, and that starts the cycle.
“We do not want stuff tied up in plastic to be there, potentially for 100 years.”
Recently, the council has fined several drivers in the area for urinating next to their vehicles and aims to take action against anyone caught.
For lorry drivers, regulations require businesses to provide access to toilets for those collecting from or delivering to their premises.
One reason behind the issue is poor facilities for lorry drivers.
A recent Government study found a proportion of independent, local authority and TRSAs truck stops had ‘zero’ ratings because they had no showers, toilets or cafes.
The Department for Transport has backed a £100million investment from industry and Government truck stop operators and roadside services providers in a bid to combat the issue.
Kate Jennings, director of policy at Logistics UK, said the firm’s members and employees deserved access to hygiene and rest facilities enjoyed by other workers, adding it was good news funding was being made available to help improve the quality and safety of amenities already in place.
She called for a swift resolution to ensure the lorry parking shortfall was addressed and necessary facilities were built and opened to support these key workers during their daily travels.
