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River clean-up sees 6,000 tyres pulled from water

Matt Murray
BBC News
Volunteers have found fridges and thousands of tyres among the rubbish dumped in the River Ogmore

Thousands of tyres have been pulled from a river in a major clean-up to help the environment and wildlife.

Over the past five days 6,000 tyres, which could have been there for decades, were removed by six excavators from the River Ogmore, in Bridgend.

Organisers have described it as Wales' largest community river clean, with hundreds of volunteers taking part.

Two years ago, 2,000 tyres were removed from the bed of the river, along with up to 100 trolleys, and a fridge.

Organisers said that was only the start, adding they are still only halfway through and plan further clean-up operations to remove all the tyres.

Alun Phillips runs environmental charity, A Peace for Nature, and organised the clean-up.

"What we did a couple of years ago was just scratching the surface really. It was a bit of a pilot to see if we need to do it again and as soon as we did it everyone was asking how are we going to get the rest of the tyres out."

Mr Phillips said this years clean-up also removed 10 tonnes of rubbish as well as the 6,000 tyres.

"I believe there is a total of 13,000 tyres to remove from the river. We've now removed 8,000 over two river cleans."

An excavator drops tyres from the claws of its bucket releasing more tyres on to a growing pile
Six excavators were used to remove thousands of tyres from the river bed.

Hundreds of volunteers took part including children from local schools and colleges.

Mr Phillips added: "With over 90 organisations taking part, this has been Wales' largest river clean to date and we aim to continue to improve the environment in Wales with further community projects.

"We have a community of companies helping here and we have community of volunteers including schools and colleges, there's been lots and lots of support."

Volunteers in hi-vis jackets lifting muddy tyres from river bank
Hundreds of volunteers have taken part in the river clean

Volunteers from Keep Wales Tidy were involved in this year's clean-up as well as the one in August 2023 - when they also recovered three to four tonnes of scrap, 100 bags of litter, about 100 shopping trolleys, a fridge and traffic cones.

Owen Derbyshire, Keep Wales Tidy's chief executive officer, said: "It's a huge challenge but we know the health of our rivers is massively important not just at a community level but also at a national level.

"Times are tough at the moment, there isn't as much money in public finances but this is why it's more important than ever that we take individual responsibility."

He added that shopping trolleys were not ending up in the river by accident and "we need to call it out".

"We need to do all we can as a nation to reduce the amount of waste and that type of behaviour for the long term," he said.

Susan and Gerwyn Chillcot from Bridgend are wearing hi-vis bibs and removing tyres from the river. Both are looking at the camera, and behind them is the river with an excavator. Susan has blonde hair and Gerwyn has dark hair and is wearing glasses.
Susan and Gerwyn Chillcot from Bridgend are volunteering at the clean-up

Gerwyn Chillcot from Bridgend is volunteering at the clean-up and said the mess was "disgusting".

"To think all this mess that has been dumped over the years is disgusting, but it's good it's being cleaned up now for the environment.

"This is toxic at the end of the day and all the chemicals from the tyres are going into the water."

Sandra Ricardo from Cardiff Rivers group said it was unclear how the tyres ended up in the river.

Ms Ricardo said one theory is the tyres were used to "shore up" the edging of the river bank decades ago but also fears many could have been fly-tipped over the years.

"Why do people do this? You can take your rubbish to the council tip.

"Fly-tipping is a big issue especially in Cardiff. You see mattresses dumped and fridge freezers, it's a real problem."

Andrew Stride, from Ogmore Angling Association wears a hi-vis jacket and is pictured next to tyres
Andrew Stride, is from Ogmore Angling Association and says the "tyres are toxic rubbish in the river"

Environmental campaigners said the toxic rubbish could wipe out the wildlife on the river.

Andrew Stride, from Ogmore Angling Association, said he had seen fish levels decrease in the river over the years,

"It has a huge impact on the fish population, these tyres are releasing chemicals that will affect the invertebrates and if they're killed off that will affect the fish and especially the salmon and sewin which come up this river.

"This toxic waste will just make it even worse."

Angharad Brown, president of the Merthyr Mawr Women's Institute, co-ordinated volunteers at the clean-up operation.

"It's important for us to be involved in such a worthwhile community project, which fits in with our own campaign for cleaner rivers and waterways in Wales," she said.