This month (May 2018) is National Walking Month and walking charity, Ramblers Cymru, is backing the call, from Fly-tipping Action Wales, for walkers in Pembrokeshire to be vigilant and report any incidences of illegally dumped waste to their local Council waste team.

Last year, there were over 38,000 fly-tipping incidents* in Wales. That’s 100 a day and four every hour with over two thirds of the illegally dumped waste coming from households and costing over £2m of tax payers’ money to clear up. Many of these incidents were recorded in popular Welsh beauty spots including Snowdonia National Park, the Brecon Beacons and key areas of the 870-miles Wales Coastal Path.

With over 40 walking groups across Wales clocking up over 28 million walks each year, and the Pembrokeshire Ramblers group boasting a considerable number of members, Ramblers Cymru can act as an important reporting resource in the fight against fly-tipping in Wales. Rebecca Brough, Policy and Advocacy Manager for Ramblers Cymru, explains:

“We want Pembrokeshire to be a place where people choose to go walking, contributing to their health and wellbeing and supporting a more sustainable way of life. Keeping our countryside and coastal paths free of litter and fly-tipped waste is an important factor in encouraging as many people as possible to enjoy the benefits that walking brings. That’s why we’re encouraging our members of Pembrokeshire Ramblers to be vigilant when out and about this summer and report fly-tipping incidences to their Local Authority.”

Gary Evans, Programme Manager at Fly-tipping Action Wales, adds:

“We live in a beautiful part of the world and we all have a legal duty of care to ensure that items of household and business waste are disposed of responsibly and safely. Failure to do so can result in serious fines. That’s why we are encouraging members of the public to be our eyes and ears on the ground this summer. Our message about fly-tipping is simple: See it. Report it. And together we WILL tackle it.”

If you require further information and advice on how to get rid of unwanted waste please visit the website, www.flytippingactionwales.org.

Best ways of getting rid of unwanted items:

Contact your local recycling charity to see if they’ll come and collect unwanted items to either restore and sell them or dispose of them responsibly

Use sites such as Freecycle, a local online community where people come and collect your unwanted goods from your house for free – www.freecycle.org

Look at selling your unwanted items on websites such as Gumtree – www.gumtree.com

Visit the Recycling for Wales website to find your local recycling centre – www.recycleforwales.org.uk

Take your unwanted clothes, books, toys and bric-a-brac to your local charity shop where they’ll sell them to raise money for their cause. Visit www.charityretail.org.uk to find your nearest charity shop.

You can also contact your local authority to see if they offer a bulky item collection service.

If using a man and a van to remove large waste items. Always check your waste carrier is registered on the Natural Resources Wales website and ask where they are taking your waste.

Check your local authority website to find your nearest Household Waste Recycling Centre (HWRC) where you can take items to be recycled or for landfill. Some centres also run a reuse shop where your items can be resold.