We’ve all seen the dog-dirt bins in parks, placed to try to keep the areas clear of unpleasant waste.

Well, now there’s a human version: the poo chute. It has been introduced to tackle the unpleasant problem of human soiling of one of the most popular wilderness areas in Britain. Walkers and climbers are being asked to bag up their faeces and drop them in a special receptacle on Cairn Gorm.

The amount of human waste being deposited on the mountain is causing serious concern. In particular, mess left in snow holes becomes very apparent during summer months when the snow melts. It also risks contaminating water in Loch Avon and the River Nethy.

The chute was set up by Cairngorm Mountain in the car park of the ski area. Free bags and bottles can be obtained from the ranger service on the mountain. The bags dissolve at 40 degrees C; the chute leads to a treatment plant.

Areas worst affected by the waste are the popular snow-hole sites at Ciste Mhearad and Coire Domhain.