Partnership In Popular Valley Clean-Up Success

Some of the litter cleared from Dyffryn Cegin, near Bangor ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

A fly-tipping hotspot in beautiful woodlands is now clear of rubbish thanks to a Tidy Towns project. The Welsh Government grant funded work to clean-up part of Dyffryn Cegin was arranged by partners including Gwynedd Council’s Tidy Towns initiative and Fly-tipping Action Wales. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Dyffryn Cegin is a scenic river valley running from Porth Penrhyn near Bangor, to Tregarth, and includes a section of the cycle route Lon Las Ogwen. The worst area of fly-tipping in the valley lies on wooded slopes above Afon Cegin between Maesgeirchen and Llandygai. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Contractors working for Tidy Towns filled three skips with waste, including various items discarded irresponsibly by fly-tippers, such as tyres, chairs, mattresses, traffic cones, kids’ bikes and a set of dining chairs. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Councillor John Wynn Jones, Gwynedd Council’s Environment Cabinet member, said: “Fly-tipping is a very selfish and inconsiderate criminal offence which blights our communities and presents a danger to people and wildlife. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Work to keep Dyffryn Cegin clean and tidy for residents and visitors can be an ongoing challenge. However, I am very pleased to note that the scale of the fly-tipping problem in this area is far less than has been seen in previous years. This reflects a very positive change in behaviour, supported by the efforts of Gwynedd Council’s Street Enforcement and Tidy Towns officers. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

”The Council takes all fly-tipping offences very seriously and will prosecute anyone caught. Offenders can be fined by up to £50,000 or even receive a six-month prison sentence. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“I ask people to kindly respect our local environment and use one of the Council’s waste recycling centres or bulky waste collection service. You can also help to ensure that unwanted items are given a new lease of life by donating them to local charities.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Welsh Government funded partnership, Fly-tipping Action Wales, consists of 50 partner agencies working together to reduce the number of incidents of fly-tipping, which costs Welsh tax payers more than £2 million each year to clean-up. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

To report any suspected fly-tipping activity, e-mail streetenforcement@gwynedd.llyw.cymru or visit the Council’s website at www.gwynedd.llyw.cymru or call 01766 771000. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Tidy Towns is supported by the Welsh Government. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​