“Dumped and Forgotten”: Questions for NRW After Waste Incidents at Ynys and Aberdare Cemetery

Residents in the Cynon Valley are raising serious concerns following two waste incidents involving Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council (RCTCBC), with questions now being asked about the response from Natural Resources Wales (NRW).

Both cases were reported to NRW. In one, the investigation has been closed. In the other, enquiries are still ongoing.

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Tarmac washed into wetlands

At Ynys Sports Field, tarmac material was deposited on a floodplain next to the Cwmbach Community Wetlands — an area valued locally for its wildlife and community use.

Residents say that following heavy storms, material from the site was carried into the wetlands, leaving visible dark residue along the edges.

Concerns have also been raised about waste documentation. Despite enquiries, no waste transfer notes for the material have been made publicly available, documents normally required under environmental law to track the handling of controlled waste.

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NRW: “Low risk” assessment

In a statement to AberdareOnline, Natural Resources Wales confirmed it investigated the Ynys incident after it was reported in 2023.

“We investigated the Ynys Sports Ground incident reported in 2023, assessed it as low risk and closed it in line with our regulatory principles,” said Head of Operations Dav Letellier.

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Earlier response raises further questions

However, correspondence seen by AberdareOnline suggests a different account was previously given to a resident who reported the incident.

In that response, Natural Resources Wales stated that officers visiting the reported area in July 2023 were “unable to locate the alleged fly-tipping” and recorded the incident as “unsubstantiated.”

The same correspondence indicates that the matter was initially not investigated, before later site visits were carried out.

This appears to differ from NRW’s more recent statement that the incident was investigated, assessed as “low risk,” and closed.

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Cemetery investigation ongoing

A separate issue at Aberdare Cemetery remains under investigation.

Local residents report that significant amounts of material — including broken headstones and other debris — have been buried during works involving a culvert running beneath the site.

The cemetery lies within a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), a designation that carries strong environmental protections.

NRW confirmed the investigation is ongoing but said it could not comment further at this stage.

“Activity at Aberdare Cemetery remains under active investigation, and we cannot comment further while that work continues,” the statement said.

The regulator added it is “content there is no likely impact on the adjacent Site of Special Scientific Interest.”

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Residents question conclusions

For many in the community, the response has not resolved concerns.

Residents who reported the Ynys incident say the “low risk” assessment does not reflect what they witnessed, particularly following flooding when material was seen entering the wetlands.

The earlier description of the incident as “unsubstantiated” has also raised questions locally about how the site was assessed.

At Aberdare Cemetery, concerns remain about what has been buried and whether proper environmental safeguards have been followed.

“How can this just be left?” one resident said. “If anyone else dumped waste like that, there would be consequences.”

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Calls for transparency

Environmental regulation in Wales is handled by Natural Resources Wales, rather than the Environment Agency.

With one case closed and another still ongoing, residents are now calling for greater transparency — including clearer updates on what has been investigated, how decisions have been reached, and whether any further action will be taken.

Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council was contacted for comment but had not responded at the time of publication.

Until clearer answers are provided, some in the community fear these incidents risk being, in their words, “dumped and forgotten.”

Old Waste Memorials were allowed to be dumped next to graves at Aberdare Cemetery, conflicting with RCTC BEREAVEMENT SERVICES RULES AND REGULATIONS

RCTC BEREAVEMENT SERVICES RULES AND REGULATIONS

10. Removal of Old Memorials
    Where memorials are being renewed in part of whole the original memorial or
    part memorial must be removed from the Cemetery or Crematorium, the
    removal of which is the responsibility of the Memorial Mason/grave owner.