Council workers spent hours cleaning up tons of fly-tipped rubbish illegally dumped on a Cardiff estate. Mounds of rubbish, old furniture, planks of wood and plastic started to build up on a piece of green space between Williton Road and Torrington Road in Llanrumney about a week ago. You can read more about that here.
The community holds annual bonfires where residents are invited to dump some materials as fuel. But this year the group says people from outside Llanrumney have “seen an opportunity” to tip their own rubbish, and the piles grew wildly out of control. A team from Cardiff Council, accompanied by police, was sent out at 9am on Tuesday, November 1, to clean up the mess.
Cardiff Council's ward member for Llanrumney, Cllr Keith Jones, said: "Llanrumney residents will be relieved that the mountain of rubbish piled on public open space is finally being removed. Whilst some people began with the intention of creating a bonfire for Guy Fawkes night it is clear that this was soon abused by those just looking to fly tip their own rubbish."
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Residents said a bonfire is held every year on the long stretch of green space in the east Cardiff estate. However, this year the prospect of a bonfire has apparently attracted more interest from outside of Llanrumney, resulting in an earlier build up of rubbish on the site.
Cllr Jones added: "I am grateful that Cardiff Council and South Wales Police have worked together to coordinate the safe clearance of the site. The whole episode only goes to highlight the importance of such community events being organised. The law must be followed for the benefit of all.
"Llanrumney is a great community that enjoys celebrating such important milestones in the calendar but sadly this time it got out of hand. In future it is important that any such events are organised and people work with the Council to ensure safety for all the community."
A Cardiff Council spokesperson said: “We adopt a zero tolerance approach to anyone caught fly tipping, and our Waste Enforcement team investigates all reports of fly-tipping to try and identify those responsible. Fly-tipping is an offence that carries a maximum penalty of up to £50,000. Very serious offences could result in a fine plus up to five years in prison.
"A Court may also order an offender to pay costs for all removal undertaken by the Council. If anyone spots fly-tipping, the most effective way of reporting it to us, is via our website (www.cardiff.gov.uk/flytipping), or via our Cardiff Gov app. That way, we will have an exact location and all the information necessary to investigate.”
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