MONMOUTHSHIRE County Council has warned that fly-tippers ‘will be punished’, after a load of scrap metal and rubbish was dumped on the Blorenge, last week.

A problem well-documented over the last year or so, illegal rubbish dumping has hit rural areas hard and forced a Wales-wide crackdown on fly-tippers who blight landscapes with piles of rubbish and detritus.

The mound of metal, and litter was discovered on the Blorenge last week.

Monmouthshire County Council’s recycling strategy manager, Carl Touhig, said, “Fly-tipping remains an issue despite successful prosecutions by Torfaen County Borough and Monmouthshire County Council, said Carl Touhig, MCC’s recycling manager.

“The fly-tipping is within the Brecon Beacons National Park and incidents like this damage the environment, the local community and tourism.

“Monmouthshire residents can dispose of waste free of charge at Llanfoist’s household recycling centre. Businesses can also dispose of waste at the transfer station for a reasonable cost.

“Residents who pass their waste to unscrupulous traders could find themselves with a £400 fixed penalty notice if we recover evidence from fly-tipped material,” he warned. ??“Sweeping new powers to hand out heavy fines to tackle the scourge of fly-tipping were welcomed by MCC, last year.

“Welsh Government ministers pushed through plans granting councils to issue fixed penalty fines between £150 to £400 for those caught illegally dumping rubbish.

Cleaning up rubbish dumped on roadsides and public areas cost Monmouthshire County Council an estimated £13,000 last year – it was one of the best performances of all Welsh local authorities.??

Residents have a duty to ensure they dispose of waste properly. They can check the status of an approved contractor by calling Natural Resources Wales on 0300 065 3000.