Litter - Pay a Litter Fine

Any type of litter takes a long time to disappear naturally. According to Keep Britain Tidy the estimated timespan for items to degrade is:

• cigarette Butts – up to 15 years
• chewing Gum – up to 5 years
• orange peel / banana skin / apple cores – up to 2 years
• plastic bags – 10 to 20 years
• aluminium cans / nappies – 80 to 100 years
• plastic bottles – indefinitely

Why is Litter such an important issue?

A recent annual report showed that a high number of roads and public spaces inspected showed evidence of smoking-related litter, chewing gum or dog fouling.

The findings were so bad that they actually brought down the overall “cleanliness” rating of the County Borough, which is a disappointment to those who work hard to ensure it is a clean, green space for all to enjoy.

Wider than that, smoking-related litter has been highlighted as the most widespread litter issue across Wales.

The Council is proud of Rhondda Cynon Taf’s environment and is determined to crack down on the problem of smoking-related waste, chewing gum waste and dog fouling once and for all.

As well as continuing its work to protect the outside environment for the benefit of all, which includes teams of staff working almost daily to pick up and clear the litter dropped by others, the Council will also educate and enforce.

It continues its work with schools, community groups and residents to remind them of the law, why it is important not to litter and the part they can play in protecting the environment.

Running alongside that is a zero-tolerance enforcement campaign, which means those who cause littering by dropping smoking-related waste, chewing gum waste or allowing their dog to foul in a public place will, where possible, be identified, fined and even prosecuted.

The Council has teams of officers who have the training and accreditation to deal with those who break the law – if you drop any litter on the floor or throw it from your car, you will face a fine and even prosecution!

What if I drop litter in a public place?

Under the regulations of the Environment Protection Act 1990 if you drop or abandon litter in a public place you have committed the offence of dropping and leaving litter, and therefore under the powers of The Clean Neighbourhood and Environment Act 2005 you will be issued with a Fixed Penalty Notice of £100.00 for the offence.

Who is liable for the fine?

Under the regulations anyone over the age of 10 years old who drops litter is eligible to receive a fine. In Rhondda Cynon Taf our Litter Enforcement Officers spend a large amount of time in Schools providing training and advice to 10-14 year old children in an attempt to raise awareness on the problems of dropped litter.

Where can I get fined?

If you drop litter in any open-air public place in Rhondda Cynon Taf then you will be liable to the £100 fine. In order to make sure that you do not become liable for a fine, always place your litter in a nearby litter bin. If there is no litter bin around, then you must take the litter home with you and dispose of it correctly.

How can I pay a fine?

A Litter Enforcement Fine can be paid in the following ways:

• You can pay online with a Credit/debit card
• Cheques or Postal orders made payable to: “Rhondda Cynon Taf CBC” should be sent to The Service Director for Streetcare, Rhondda Cynon Taf Streetcare Services, Ty Glantaf, Unit B23, Treforest Industrial Estate, Pontypridd, CF37 5TT by post or in person.

What if I don’t pay my fine?

If you have been issued with a Fixed Penalty Notice by one of the Council's Litter Enforcement Officers then under the terms of the fine you will be required to pay the charge within 14 days from the date the notice was issued.

Should you choose not to pay the fine within the 14 days, the Council will look to prosecute via court proceedings as part of the Authority’s policy to improve the environment and to reduce such enviro crime within the boundary of Rhondda Cynon Taf.