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Denbighshire: Rogue rubbish collectors use A-road like a tip

Denbighshire council Rubbish in a vergeDenbighshire council
Rubbish dumped off the A55 at Rhuallt Hill junction near St Asaph

Rogue rubbish collectors are using the A55 corridor to illegally dump waste, a councillor has said.

Chris Evans told Denbighshire council how people are charging £200 to fill a transit van with rubbish that is then fly-tipped.

The problem is particularly bad around Rhuallt Hill and the Denbigh Moors, he said, and threatens to ruin the countryside.

The council needs to do more to find and fine the fly-tippers, he added.

Mr Evans, who represents Tremeirchion, said the problem has become worse since new charges were introduced in 2022 at recycling centres in Ruthin, Denbigh and Rhyl, including extra fees for the disposal of household waste.

"Is that putting people off from taking rubbish to the skip?" he asked, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

"And does that mean people are benefitting from turning up, filling a van full of rubbish, charging £200, and taking it 20 miles down the road and throwing it in a hedge?

"People are using the A55 to travel and dump rubbish."

He called on the council to search the fly-tipped waste for evidence that could lead to prosecutions.

Denbighshire Council Sign in Welsh and English warning about fly tipping and the finesDenbighshire Council
Fly tippers can be fined up to £50,000 by local authorities

"You would only have to fine one person £50,000, and people would stop," he said.

The new charges are for things such as rubble, DIY construction waste, soil, wood, asbestos, gas canisters, tyres, roofing felt, guttering and insulation material.

"When people use recycling centres, the metal goes to the scrap, the recycling goes to the recycling, and less goes into landfill," he said.

"When people are fly-tipping, there is brass, glass, chemicals and it is wrecking animals' habitat.

"It is an eyesore, a disgrace. Residents are disgusted."

Mr Evans said "tough times" in Denbighshire meant the charges should be reduced or scrapped, and people should be able to drop off larger amounts of rubbish.

"People will take down a wall, but they're only allowed to take three bags of rubble, but they haven't got the money to pay," he said.

Denbighshire council was asked for a comment.