While you’re often just waking up and enjoying a morning cuppa, there are a dedicated team of people working in all weathers every day of the week, all year round – not just the Spring, to make sure the areas that you live in are clean, tidy and ready for the day ahead.
Rhondda Cynon Taf Council is proud to support this year’s Spring Clean Cymru event (21st March – 6th April) and one dedicated Streetcare Operative, Kevin Williams, aged 53, has been busy ‘spring’ cleaning Rhondda Cynon Taf for over 20 years.
Kevin’s day starts at 7am and the race is on to get the streets “spick and span” ready for us all to enjoy. The first job of the day is to give the streets a good sweep and pick up disgusting litter that has been dropped during the night. Kevin is sometimes assisted by a road sweeping vehicle, which helps to collect the rubbish and if necessary, the jet washing team are called in.
Once the streets are clean, Kevin heads off to empty the bins. A quick lunch break at 11.30am and its back in to start on the new days litter.
Kevin has many stories to tell as we follow him out and about during a typical day in his working life....
“My job certainly keeps me fit as there is a lot of walking; I don’t wear one of those step things, but I’d say I walk around 7 miles a day easily – it’s more than a round of golf I know that! It’s rewarding when you see the streets clean at the beginning of the day, knowing that you have made a difference, but also really disheartening when you see some people dropping litter and not caring about the area. I enjoy being outside every day, meeting new people and doing my bit to ensure our RCT is kept as clean as possible.
“If there was one thing that annoys me, its cigarette litter. It’s so unsightly and the butts are a real problem in the town centres; they take up a lot of my time as there are so many of them and they are difficult to pick up. I don’t really understand why smokers don’t put them in the bin, I guess they don’t see them as litter, but they are! If they are caught dropping them, they will be fined £100 and that’s an expensive smoke if you ask me.
“The one thing I love about my job is that every day is different, and you never know what you might find amongst the litter. I hate it when there are needles just discarded and dog mess is another big bug bear for me.
“I really enjoy my job but it could be made a lot easier if people thought about their actions before they threw their rubbish on to the floor. The worst rubbish is the half empty bottles and cans as they often spill over as you pick them up.
“If there is one-way residents and visitors could help, it would be to put their litter in the bins provided, there are a lot of them in RCT so there’s no excuse!
Councillor Ann Crimmings, Rhondda Cynon Taf Council's Cabinet Member for Environment and Leisure said:
“Every day our dedicated Streetcare teams are out and about across the County Borough ensuring that it is a clean, green and safe place to live, work and visit. It really is important that we recognise the outstanding work they do every day. The Council is committed to making our County Borough a pioneer in recycling and we will continue to do all that we can, but residents have a key role to play in helping us to do this.
“Litter isn’t just unsightly; it can be harmful to wildlife and have a huge impact on how people view the place that they live. It really is a simple task to use a bin or take your litter home to dispose of your items. It’s about being responsible and loving where we live, our outdoor spaces are for everyone to enjoy and it’s often aminority that spoil it.
"We are frequently asked by residents how they can actively support our Streetcare teams to keep our communities clean. We have a number of litter hubs in RCT that allow residents to borrow free Litter picking kits. Together we can make a difference for future generations and ensure they get the County Borough we all want and deserve.”
Rhondda Cynon Taf boasts a number of litter picking hubs across the County Borough, where people can borrow a free kit and take action in their local areas. The kit includes litter pickers, hi-vis vests, rubbish bags, and hoops – essential for keeping your bags open in breezy conditions. To find your nearest hub, you can search your location online at https://keepwalestidy.cymru/caru-cymru/litter-picking-hubs/. You can also join a local group – as we all know many hands, make light work! More details can be found online at https://keepwalestidy.cymru/caru-cymru/community-groups/.
For further information on the services provided by the dedicated Streetcare teams visit www.rctcbc.gov.uk/streetcare
Posted on 27/03/2025