A leading book charity which has sent 3.2 million used texts to children in developing countries has questioned the way the council has cleared Baldragon Academy.
Books Abroad, a registered charity which aspires to support education in developing countries by redistributing second-hand books, said they have been left “disappointed” by Dundee City Council’s “wasteful procedures” after it was revealed hundreds of text books had been dumped in a skip at the former Baldragon site.
It is thought the skip, which was sifted through by volunteers from the Kirkton community and safety partnership earlier this week, was headed for landfill despite being filled with recyclable materials.
As well as books, the group found “unopened” calculators and other materials which they say would have been reusable.
The group, led by secretary Stephen Cragg, even presented the Lord Provost Ian Borthwick with one of the packaged calculators at a city council meeting.
In addition to this, the group reported more that the 70kg of paper they had removed from the skip had been “dumped” back in, undoing their hard work.
Raymond Edwards, a volunteer and trustee of Books Abroad, said his organisation had been invited previously to collect unwanted textbooks from the old Harris Academy and the now demolished Menzieshill High School several years ago.
He said: “Over more than 30 years Books Abroad SCIO based in Aberdeenshire have recycled 3.2 million text books which were destined for landfill or incineration.
“Books that have enjoyed a useful life in our schools are given a second life in the developing countries of the world.
“When Harris Academy and Menzieshill High School closed, we uplifted hundreds of books that are now being enjoyed by children all around the world.
“We are really disappointed to learn of the wasteful procedures being adopted by Dundee City Council in the closure of Baldragon Academy and the lost opportunity to help others less fortunate than ourselves.”
Dundee City Council were approached for comment but none was forthcoming at time of going to press.
