Disgust as clinical waste bags dumped in stream leading to River Orwell

Jason Alexander, of Rubbish Walks, made the alarming discovery in the Pipers Vale area last week while on a routine litter pick with a friend.

The pile contained a large amount of clothing and holdalls – some of which had been burned – as well as numerous yellow bags marked for "clinical waste".

Mr Alexander alerted Ipswich Borough Council to the disgusting discovery (Image: Rubbish Walks)

Mr Alexander immediately called a halt to the pick and called the council's waste team to deal with the pile.

He believes the bags and the other goods may have been stolen.

"It was a real shock," Mr Alexander said. "That site is at least 500m away from any vehicular access, so they would have made several trips to and from their vehicle.

"When you see a stream almost dammed up with bags of rubbish – and then look closer to see those bags are marked for clinical waste – it makes you fear for what's inside them.

"We are all keen litter pickers and we all want to do the right thing, but you need to know when to stop.

"You need to know when it's sensible to pick and when it's sensible to put your hands up and say 'this needs to be dealt with by the relevant authorities who can deal with it properly'."

One of the bags discovered by Mr Alexander (Image: Rubbish Walks)

Mr Alexander said the majority of the bags were empty and did not appear to contain anything dangerous. However, he raised concerns over waste entering the River Orwell via the stream.

He said: "If there was something hazardous inside, in the stream, leading out into the river... You think about people out boating on there, or even swimming in the river... It makes you think."

Mr Alexander also completed a 12-hour litter picking marathon to mark Earth Day, but said he was again faced with some of the most disgusting sights a litter picker could find.

He said: "Yesterday, the first thing I saw after pulling up in a layby near Warren Heath was human excrement. It's disgusting.

"Myself and my friend Susan later found 31 plastic bottles, 39 cans, 30 glass bottles, 11 bottles of urine and two syringes.

"There is always a great feeling of satisfaction after completing a clean, but then always a real feeling of dread as to how long it will stay clean for."