Volunteers from Merthyr Tydfil and beyond collect 384 bags of litter in support of #SpringCleanCymru

An incredible 384 bags of rubbish were collected at a popular Merthyr attraction on Friday 4 April, as 172 volunteers carried out a littler pick along the Taff Trail in preparation for the Easter break and start of the tourist season.

Members of the public, local councillors, community groups, local school children, and staff and volunteers from Keep Wales Tidy and Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council combined forces for a litter pick along the 13 mile/21km Merthyr stretch of the Taff Trail, with 10 different clean-up areas from Pontsticill to Abercynon.

Volunteers were equipped with litter pickers, bags and hoops, and fluorescent vests, as they cleaned the main pathways and surrounding areas of the trail as part of Spring Clean Cymru, Keep Wales Tidy’s annual campaign which encourages people across Wales to help clean up the litter which blights local communities and beauty spots.

The 384 bags they filled consisted of 190 red bags of rubbish and 194 blue bags of cans and plastics to be recycled.

Cllr Brent Carter, Leader of the Council, praised the volunteers for their incredible efforts, he said;
“I want to personally thank all 172 volunteers who joined us for this clean-up event.

“It’s admirable knowing that we have so many kind individuals, of all ages and from all pockets of our county borough, who truly care about where they live and want to actively make a difference in their local community.”

The Taff Trail is a much-loved attraction in South Wales, running alongside the River Taff for 55 miles/88.5km between Cardiff and Brecon along a mixture of riverside paths, railway paths and forest roads. Part of Sustrans’ national cycle network, it is well-used by cyclists, walkers and runners, taking advantage of its off-road, car-free pathways.

However, as the scale of this clean-up shows, litter can be a real problem, with discarded plastic bottles, food wrappers and cigarette butts among the most common items collected today. Volunteers also reported fly tipping of items such as furniture and shopping trolleys, so that larger items can be removed from the beauty spot.

Mark Davies, Keep Wales Tidy’s Project Officer for Merthyr, praised the local community for its commitment to making such a difference. He said;
“The Taff Trail is very important for tourism in Merthyr. It brings lots of people here to walk, run or cycle, so we’re thrilled so many volunteers came together to look after the area.

“Big events like this get people talking – the amount of litter, and the challenges in cleaning it all up, can be a real eye-opener. Many of those getting involved for the first time are keen to volunteer more and even set up new community action groups, which is a really positive thing for Merthyr.”