A FIFE MSP said claims that Amazon were destroying millions of unsold items from their Dunfermline warehouse every year were "obscene" .

Mark Ruskell, the Scottish Greens environment spokesperson, hit out after an ITV News investigation alleged that the company was getting rid of an "astonishing" number of new and unused goods from the fulfilment centre off Sandpiper Drive.

Amazon deny that they send items to landfill in the UK.

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) told the Press they were looking into the claims and the MSP said: "Amazon’s net profit has soared during this crisis while many people have struggled to make ends meet.

"It’s therefore obscene that this multi-billion corporation finds it more profitable to put unused items in the bin than help people out."

Mr Ruskell added: "It is a damning indictment of our economy that the throwaway culture is put before people’s needs.

"Even if it is not reflective of wider Amazon policy, the company must answer for why the Dunfermline warehouse has such high levels of waste and so little is resold or given to charities.

"This shocking revelation shows that governments must do more to force companies to design waste out of their systems, with regulation and fines where they are failing to do the right thing."

ITV News said undercover filming from inside Amazon's site in Dunfermline showed items that had never been sold, or were returned by customers, being sorted into boxes marked 'Destroy'.

The report alleged millions of items, such as smart TVs, laptops, drones, hairdryers, headphones, computer drives, books and unused face masks, were being dumped in recycling centres or sent to landfill every year.

It claimed that one week in April, a leaked document from the Dunfermline warehouse had more than 124,000 items marked out for 'Destroy' and 28,000 for 'Donate'.

ITV News also quoted an unnamed ex-employee who claimed "our target was to generally destroy 130,000 items a week".

Jo Zwitserlood, head of materials at SEPA, told the Press: “Like others, SEPA was concerned by national media reports regarding the alleged widespread disposal of products by Amazon.

"Resource use is a critical component of collective efforts to move towards net zero.

"SEPA is reviewing whether there is any potential non-compliance with waste management legislation which SEPA is responsible for enforcing.

"On review of the information gathered, SEPA will consider whether to follow up with a more formal investigation in accordance with SEPA’s published enforcement guidance.”

Many vendors, or 'third-party selling partners', pay Amazon to store their products in their warehouses but the longer those items are unsold, the more they have to pay.

Eventually, it becomes cheaper to get rid of the stock rather than continue storing it.

Fife Resource Solutions runs Fife Council's recycling centres and confirmed that Amazon do use the Lochhead site at Wellwood.

Chief executive officer Robin Baird confirmed: "We operate a state-of-the-art recycling facility where all suitable material is sorted and recycled.

"Any waste product is then sent to our Energy from Waste outlet."

Amazon said their priority was to "resell, recycle or donate any unsold products to charitable organisations" and that items were only sent for energy recovery as a "last resort".

A spokesperson said: “We think it’s important to set the record straight: we do not send items to landfill in the UK.

"Every year, we donate millions of products to charities across the country.

"We’ve got more work to do but our goal is to get to zero product disposal."