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The mural — designed by Year 5 pupils from Ysgol Melin and brought to life with the help of acclaimed Welsh portrait artist Nathan Wyburn — transforms a once-ordinary wall near the school into a striking reminder of how fly-tipping affects communities across Wales.

In a hands-on workshop, the young artists joined Nathan and representatives from Neath Port Talbot Council to discuss the causes and consequences of fly-tipping, sharing their own ideas for keeping their neighbourhoods clean and welcoming. Their sketches and messages were woven into the final artwork — a bold, thought-provoking piece that stands as a visual call to action for residents to take pride in their local environment and places they call home.

The mural launch comes as Neath Port Talbot Council celebrates significant progress in the fight against fly-tipping. Official Welsh Government statistics show that the Council achieved a 26% reduction in fly-tipping incidents between April 2023 and March 2024 — one of the largest decreases across all Welsh local authorities.

Neath Port Talbot Council’s Cabinet Member for Streetscene, Cllr Scott Jones, said: “We’re incredibly proud of the progress we’ve made in Neath Port Talbot. This project has given local young people a platform to express how much their community matters to them. It’s more than just a mural, it’s a call to action for the rest of Wales to follow our lead and show that, when communities come together, we can create clean, safe and beautiful neighbourhoods for the next generation to enjoy.”

The inaugural Fly-tipping Awareness Week brings together communities across the country to highlight the growing problem of fly-tipping. Elsewhere during the week, teams in Merthyr Tydfil are joining forces with Keep Wales Tidy for a major clean-up at Glanmorlais Estate in Pant, alongside digital activity from stakeholders and industry partners.

Benjamin Meredith-Davies, Fly-tipping Action Wales Officer, said: “Our first Fly-tipping Awareness Week is all about collaboration — from young people using art to speak up for their local areas, to volunteers rolling up their sleeves to clean up their communities. These efforts show the real impact of working together and the shared goal to protect Wales’ natural beauty, wildlife and communities by helping everyone to always use a registered waste carrier. We are looking forward to seeing the difference that this Week will make when it comes to reducing fly-tipping incidents across the country.”  

To find out how you can take part in tackling fly-tipping across Wales, visit: https://naturalresources.wales