Copyright walesonline
A man has captured the moment he confronted two fly-tippers dumping furniture down a hillside, near a popular Welsh beauty spot . The pair were spotted throwing parts of a sofa from a white van on the side of the busy A465 , opposite Spring Valley Lakes in Glynneath. The incident unfolded at around 6.50pm on October 18, when the man - who asked to remain anonymous - had pulled over to tend to his young son, but noticed suspicious activity nearby. Speaking to WalesOnline, he said that fly-tipping has become a persistent issue in the area; one that he regularly encounters through his job as a mechanic. "Our lay-bys are littered with rubbish," he said. "I work a lot of roadside breakdowns, so I'm in and out of lay-bys fixing our fleet so I see it a lot." Stay informed on everything Neath Port Talbot by signing up to our newsletter here On this occasion, as he parked up, the man said he heard laughing and banging noises. When he went to investigate, he saw a large white van with its rear door open - and two men throwing parts of an old sofa down the embankment. Sensing what was happening, the man immediately pulled out his phone and began recording. In the video, which has since circulated on social media, the man can be heard confronting the individuals, as pieces of the furniture lie scattered at the bottom of the slope. Shouting "What do you think you are doing then?", he challenges the pair to pick up their waste. One man stands at the back of the van, where parts of the dumped sofa can clearly be seen, while the other throws two cushions back inside. The man filming continues urging them to collect the rest of the rubbish. In light of the incident, he described the act as "disgusting," adding that the rising costs of proper waste disposal are partly fuelling the problem. "I have friends in the waste removal business, and because prices keep going up, it’s having an effect on customers," he pointed out. "Some won't pay to have it removed correctly and professionally. Waste is getting out of hand." The abandoned sofa has since been cleared from the area, which will come as a relief to residents and visitors. The video has also been met with widespread praise, with one person commenting: "NOT ALL SUPERHEROES WEAR CAPES." A Neath Port Talbot Council spokesperson said: "This appears to be an appalling act of fly-tipping in one of the most attractive parts of the county borough. " Neath Port Talbot Council has a good record of prosecuting fly-tippers, historically being regarded as a leader in Wales for environmental enforcement. The council's waste enforcement team has successfully prosecuted individuals and been responsible for a significant number of fly-tipping prosecutions in the country. "For example, the council brought 139 cases against fly-tippers between early 2024 and October 2025 and in 2018–19, the council was responsible for more half of the 128 prosecutions across Wales. You can report fly-tipping in Neath Port Talbot by using the online form on the Neath Port Talbot Council website . "You can also email countryside@npt.gov.uk or call the general enquiry number, 01639 686868 . Be sure to include as many details as possible, such as the location, what was dumped, and a photo if safe to take. You can track your report if you have a myNPT account ."
