In the visitor centre they watched a Powerpoint presentation on the importance of recycling and shown a video of the line where items are sorted etc. Glass recycling, cans recycling and a video by Tonyrefail Comprehensive School “Oceans of Waste”.

They donned fluorescent waistcoats and were then taken on a landfill SAFARI where they were shown what a landfill site looks like and how it is run. Whilst on the landfill safari they were shown how our refuse is disposed of and how landfill gas is extracted and turned into electricity.

All agreed that it was a super afternoon and everyone had gained a lot of information regarding all materials that can be recycled and ways in which the Recycling Centre deals with them.

So far over 9,600 residents across Rhondda Cynon Taf have been invited to take up the new scheme that aims to rapidly reduce the amount of household waste sent to landfill. At present all households that use the Council’s weekly kerbside recycling scheme are being approached to use the Food Recycling Initiative as well.

Members of the Council’s Streetcare Team are visiting homes and encouraging them to support this easy and clean method of recycling food waste. They have already spoken to residents in Tonyrefail, Penrhiwfer and Gilfach Goch with Coedely next on their list of communities to visit.

At present 55% of households in Rhondda Cynon Taf recycle, but thousands are still not getting involved even though there are so many schemes on offer, from the kerbside weekly collection service, easy-to-access community recycling centres, free collection of larger items and now the food waste recycling scheme.

Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s recycling champion mascot had a very warm welcome from all the children who have plenty of “green schemes” ongoing in the school to keep them occupied with environmental issues.

It was just one of many visits Rhys makes every week to primary, infant schools and nurseries as well as regular guest appearances in various functions from fun days to rugby matches.

Joined by members of the Council’s Streetcare Awareness Team, Rhys makes sure every child he meets realizes how important it is to recycle and encourage more people to get involved.

Through his award-winning website The World of Rhys Cycle, which can be found at www.rhyscycle.co.uk he has a global following with thousands of members on every continent.

Members of the Council’s Streetcare Team are visiting homes and encouraging them to support this easy and clean method of recycling food waste. They have already spoken to residents in Tonyrefail, with Penrhiwfer with Gilfach Goch next on their list of communities to visit.

At present 55% of households in Rhondda Cynon Taf recycle, but thousands are still not getting involved even though there are so many schemes on offer, from the kerbside weekly collection service, easy-to-access community recycling centres, free collection of larger items and now the food waste recycling scheme.

Every week residents recycle around 35% of waste, which is four times the amount recycled a few years ago, but this needs to reach 40% by 2010 or the Council will face stringent fines of up to £200 per tonne by the Welsh Assembly Government. Food waste forms 30% of the average Rhondda Cynon Taf refuse bin contents.

For more information on recycling, send an email to recycling@rhondda-cynon-taf.gov.uk or call 01443 494700.

The Community Recycling Centre on Cemetery Road has inadequate room and it is not possible to expand the area for the use of members of the public. A decision has been made to close the site on January 4th 2009.

With a significant lack of room it is becoming increasingly impossible to recycle goods in a similar manner to the new or upgraded sites throughout the county borough.

Recycling is a major priority for the local authority and the expansion of Community Recycling Centres in neighbouring Ferndale and Dinas is testament to this pledge.

Earlier this year the first Community Recycling Centre was opened in the Taff Ely area with the launch of a specially designed site at Treforest Industrial Estate.

Recycling has more than trebled in the last four years, with a massive investment in a new plant, community recycling points, new refuse collections vehicles and innovative ways to promote recycling, including the roll out of kerbside and food waste recycling.

The Community Recycling Centres are an integral part of the ongoing success story as they offer residents the opportunity to recycle a massive variety of items, some of which cannot be collected as part of the kerbside recycling service.

But due to this growing success it means that centres must also be able to cope with the quantity and range of items recycled, which Treorchy is unable to achieve.

Between April 1st 2006 and March 31st 2007 the Council recycled 33,238 tonnes of material compared to just 4,200 tonnes in 1999/2000. This year alone this figure has risen to 30%. We now recycle almost eight times the amount of waste we recycled seven years ago.

Every week 55% of residents take part in the kerbside recycling initiative and many more use the scheme at least once every month. Countless others use the recycling banks – or SORT centres – that are distributed throughout the county borough.

The Council’s Service Director for Streetcare Nigel Wheeler explained: “I can assure residents that the decision to close the Community Recycling Centre in Treorchy was not taken lightly.

“Unfortunately the site in Treorchy is now deemed inadequate to the growing demands of the public to recycle more household waste and reduce the quantity of materials sent to landfill. The success story of recycling in the county borough has meant that we have expanded and improved many of our Community Recycling Centres.

“It has also resulted in the opening of a new facility at Treforest. Unfortunately, Treorchy is unable to expand and develop due to the confined space and regrettably we can no longer provide a first-class service from this site.”

The popular shopping destination could be the first plastic bag free town in Wales if leading environmentalists in the county borough have their way.

Rhondda Cynon Taf Council is supporting Pontypridd Women’s Institute and Friends of the Earth in their campaign to make Pontypridd plastic-bag free with a special awareness day taking place this Friday.

Shopkeepers and market traders throughout the town are being encouraged to stop giving out plastic bags to shoppers in an effort to reduce the quantity sent to landfill. Pontypridd is the first town in Wales to date to launch such an exciting scheme.

Around 13 billion plastic bags are given free to UK shoppers every year. The bags can take between 400-1,000 years to break down, and like all forms of plastic they do not biodegrade and can contaminate soil, waterways and oceans, entering the food chain when ingested by animals.

Last year the Devonshire town of Modbury became synonymous with environmentalists as the first community in Europe to become plastic shopping bag-free.

Members of Pontypridd Women’s Institute, Friends of the Earth and Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s Streetcare Team, are determined to make the first plastic bag free day a total success.

Plastic Bag Free Pontypridd will take place in the town centre on Friday December 12th.

He was seen to flick the cigarette butt out of his van window, landing himself a £75 fixed penalty notice for littering.

However, when he failed to pay that fine, the matter was taken to court, leading to his financial penalty being increased to £270.

Rhondda Cynon Taf Council enforcement officers were on duty when Mr.Howard was seen to throw the butt from his Astra van window on the A4059 near Abercynon.

A trace on the number plate revealed the vehicle was registered to his works, which, in turn, provided the name and address of the driver who was in the van that day.

This lead to paperwork and the fixed penalty notice being sent to Mr Howard’s home address of Eden Thorpe, Doncaster, South Yorkshire, under the Environmental Protection Act

The fine was not paid and the matter was heard at Merthyr Magistrates’ Court on November 10, where Mr Howard was found guilty of the offence in his absence and fined £175, as well as being ordered to pay £80 costs and a victim surcharge of £15.

The court gave him 28 days to pay.

Grandmother Janet Jones from Graigwen is a keen recycler of household waste and news that Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s innovative new food waste collection service was coming to her community really brightened her day.

Janet, who is the Vice President of Pontypridd’s Women’s Institute, has made it one of life’s ambitions to encourage more people to recycle their household rubbish and she thinks the food waste recycling service is a major step forward in reducing the quantity of rubbish sent to landfill.

In December she will lead a Plastic Bag Free Day in Pontypridd town centre where she will encourage all shop owners to refuse their customers from using carrier bags for their shopping.

“This is a very important subject and I can’t understand why even more residents of Rhondda Cynon Taf are not recycling their rubbish – it’s such a simple and effective thing to do,” she explained.

“The food waste caddies are excellent. The lid closes tightly so there’s no chance of any nasty smells and you an just put it out with the rest of your weekly kerbside recycling bags.”

Residents of all ages in Rhondda Cynon Taf are continuing the war against waste but the need is greater than ever to reduce the amount sent to landfill or local authorities will face massive monetary fines from the government.

With ready-made costumes available in many stores, Rhondda Cynon Taf Council is challenging people to go back to basics and think about creating their own original Hallowe’en outfits using materials they already have.

So whether it’s a witch’s cape made from an old skirt or piece of fabric, a ghost outfit from an old

bed-sheet or curtain, or even a pumpkin outfit made by customising a big cardboard box, now’s the time to get creative with the unwanted materials lying around your home.

Cabinet Member for Frontline Services Cllr Anthony Christopher said: “Recycling is one of our top priorities and although we are now one of the top authorities in Wales in this field, there is still a long way to go.

“Everyone can help ensure that we reach significant recycling targets by 2010 and events such as Hallowe’en are an ideal opportunity to think green and encourage people to have a go at making their own costumes.

“The benefits don’t just end at doing your bit for the environment – not only will your costume look much more individual but your wallet will also feel the benefit.

“Although it may seem a small thing to do, actions as simple as making a costume from existing materials can help make a big difference and reduce waste.”

For more information on recycling and how you can work to protect the environment, contact Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s waste awareness team on 01443 494700 or visit www.rhondda-cynon-taff.gov.uk

The Meeting is at 5pm on Thursday 9th October 2008 at Sobells Sports Centre, Aberdare.

At the Planning Meeting R.C.T. Councillors will be deciding on the Gloucesters/Ironworks site planning application which will have a huge effect on the village of Hirwaun.

A company called Piper Homes want to build 130 houses on the Hirwaun Gloucesters and old Ironworks site. This area is much valued and used by the community as an area for recreation and leisure and home to an abundance of wildlife and flora.