‘River of garbage’ dumped on mountain is so huge it may be seen 5 miles away
Shock footage shows the mass clean-up operation of the so-called “river of rubbish” which was fly-tipped in Wales back in January
The clean up has begun(Image: CBMRT / SWNS)
A monster pile of rubbish has been uncovered which is so big it can be seen five miles away.
Footage has shown the clean-up operation of the so called “river of rubbish” – which was fly-tipped in Wales back in January.
The staggering amount of waste – which included discarded household rubbish, bin bags, alcohol and vapes – was dumped on Bwlch Mountain, in Treorchy, which has been not only dubbed an ‘eyesore’ for locals but “catastrophic” for wildlife – prompting urgent action.
Videos show the Central Beacons Mountain Rescue team working alongside Rhondda Cynon Taf Council and the landowner to clear the rubbish from the steep hillside, which took place last weekend.
The two-day operation involved the use of specialist rope rescue systems to safely access and recover the waste from challenging terrain.
Team members deployed more than a kilometre of rope each day and spent around 12 hours per day on the hillside.
Several tonnes of rubbish were recovered and removed from what is one of the highest mountain passes in Wales standing around 439 metres high.
The clean-up was led by CBMRT Technical Lead Pete Spearing, who began developing plans for the operation after the scale of the fly-tipping came to public attention earlier this year.
He said: “When we first saw the images from Bwlch Mountain, they really struck a chord with the team.
“We spend thousands of hours each year in the outdoors and couldn’t stand by and watch such a beautiful area be treated like a dumping ground.
“What followed was months of planning with Rhondda Cynon Taf Council and the landowner to find a safe way of carrying out what was a highly technical operation.
“The terrain is extremely steep and required specialist rope rescue systems and a significant volunteer effort to recover the waste safely.
“I’m incredibly proud of what the team achieved over the weekend.
“Several tonnes of rubbish have now been removed from the mountain and the area has been transformed.”
Central Beacons Mountain Rescue Team is an entirely volunteer-run charity that receives no government funding for its operational activities.
Every member of the team gave up their weekend to support the operation, while also responding to four separate mountain rescue callouts on the Saturday.
Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Finance, which includes Waste and Recycling, Councillor Ann Crimmings said: “The Bwlch Mountain is home to some of our most beautiful countryside, and it is completely unacceptable that a minority treat it as a personal dumping ground.
“There is never an excuse to blight our mountains, towns, streets and villages with waste, and we will find those responsible and hold them to account.
“The lazy actions of the minority ultimately affect us all.
“That is why we will continue to use all the powers available to us to hold those accountable for their actions.
“Many recovered items could have been taken to a Community Recycling Centre or collected from the kerbside at no extra cost.”
