Recent figures released by Fly-Tipping Action Wales show that six in 10 people in Pembrokeshire still believe there are barriers to getting rid of waste legally and don’t realise charities can be used to get rid of bulky household items.

Figures show domestic waste is a bigger problem around Christmas than any other time of year, with two-thirds of all illegally dumped waste in Wales coming from households.

As we approach the festive period when general household rubbish will increase and people will be replacing old electrical appliances, furniture, clothes, toys and general bric-a-brac with new Christmas gifts, Fly-Tipping Action Wales, a partnership of over 50 organisations including local authorities, Keep Wales Tidy and local emergency services, is reminding households there are more sustainable ways of getting rid of any unwanted items.

Gary Evans from Fly-tipping Action Wales, explains why people feel there are barriers to waste disposal and what households need to consider when they’re unsure of where to take unwanted items this Christmas.

He said:“Our research shows that people feel there are barriers to disposing of household waste including the cost of council levies for collecting waste, Household Waste Recycling Centres being too far or inconvenient to take bulky items to, untimely opening times of Household Waste Recycling Centres or simply not knowing what recycling and waste disposal services are available locally.

“On average there are over 30,000 fly-tipping incidents in Wales a year, the equivalent of one incident per hour, costing tax payers around £2 million in clean-up costs. And it’s not just the price of illegal dumping, it’s also a criminal offence and a waste of valuable resources. The majority of household items that we see fly-tipped can easily be re-used and restored by your local recycling charity.

“We’re urging people to approach their local recycling charity or organisation to see what re-use and recycling services they offer so there is no longer an excuse for fly-tipping unwanted items onto our countryside or public side-streets this Christmas.”

Jenny from Pembrokeshire Frame, a re-use and recycling charity who offer employment work practice and training opportunities to people with disabilities in Pembrokeshire, believes the public isn’t always aware of how little effort it takes to re-use and recycle, and that contributes to the fly-tipping problem.

She said: “The festive season naturally produces more general household waste and unwanted goods due to all the new presents people receive. It tends to be out with the old and in with the new. I don’t think people are aware that it actually takes little effort to re-use and recycle unwanted goods - whatever their condition. Rather than dumping items in the countryside or on the public streets, people can approach charities such as ours to dispose of their unwanted items in a sustainable way.

“At Pembrokeshire Frame we have a free collection service to pick up people’s unwanted household goods such as furniture, toys, books and clothes. Most items we collect can be re-used. We take them back to the workshop and repair or renovate them, and then sell them on in our shop. The income we raise enables us to provide work practice and training opportunities for over 200 people with disabilities per year. And for any goods that aren’t re-usable, we have a ‘breaking down’ service, whereby we break them down into their original components and recycle the individual parts.

“We’re encouraging people to get in touch over the Christmas period to arrange for us to come and collect any unwanted household items, rather than taking their goods to landfill or dumping them in the streets or countryside.”

Earlier this year, figures were released showing one-third of people in Wales still don’t ask where their waste is going when using a tradesperson to remove their unwanted items. Using recycling charities is the perfect way of overcoming this issue as they have strict waste disposal guidelines and policies and a vested interest in keeping Welsh communities clean and tidy.

Gary Evans continued: “If you require further information and advice on how to get rid of your unwanted waste this Christmas, please visit the advice section of our website, www.flytippingactionwales.org. We also encourage members of the public to be our eyes and ears on the ground and report any incidents of fly-tipping to their local authority.”