A local businessman, known in his community as the ‘Recycling Man’, has admitted to fly-tipping waste that he was hired to dispose of responsibly. Andrew Williams, from Bell Street in Trecynon, pleaded guilty to the offence after appearing in court on Wednesday, 7 August.
Mr Williams, who frequently promotes his waste disposal business on Facebook, typically assures his customers that all waste is handled correctly. However, he was found guilty of illegally dumping waste at Parish Road in Rhigos, Rhondda Cynon Taf, instead of disposing of it at an authorised facility.
According to Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council, Mr Williams had been paid £100 to remove waste from a shed. However, the council stated that he “completely miscalculated” the scope of the job, finding the waste more substantial and time-consuming to load than expected. Unable to transport the waste to a proper disposal facility as it was too late in the day, Mr Williams decided to fly-tip the waste instead.
Despite being a registered waste carrier with Natural Resources Wales (NRW), Mr Williams failed to uphold his responsibilities on this occasion. The council’s investigation, which uncovered “irrefutable” evidence, led to enforcement officers confronting Mr Williams. When shown the evidence, he denied the fly-tipping allegations but could not explain how the waste ended up at the illegal dumping site.
Further compounding his legal troubles, Mr Williams was unable to produce the necessary transfer notes for the waste he disposed of around the time of the offence. As a result, he was charged under Section 33 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, which prohibits the unauthorised deposit, treatment, or disposal of waste.
In court, Mr Williams admitted his guilt and was sentenced to a 12-month community order, including 100 hours of unpaid work. He was also ordered to pay costs of £1,001.51 and a victim surcharge of £114, bringing the total financial penalty to £1,115.51.
A spokesperson for Rhondda Cynon Taf Council commented on the case, stating: “Fly-tipping will not be tolerated, ever. There is never an excuse to blight our towns, streets and villages with waste, and we will find those responsible and hold them to account. As this case highlights, we investigate ALL fly-tipping reports and will uncover all the details, as this offender found out.”
The council also emphasised the financial burden that fly-tipping places on local resources, noting that the removal of such waste costs hundreds of thousands of pounds each year—money that could otherwise be allocated to essential frontline services. The spokesperson added, “We will use every power available to us to hold those accountable for their actions. Many of the items we recover on our streets, towns, and mountains could have been taken to a Community Recycling Centre or collected from the kerbside at no extra cost.”
Rhondda Cynon Taf Council maintains a zero-tolerance stance on littering and fly-tipping, a policy it intends to enforce rigorously.
