THINGS are getting worse on the Mount Estate say residents, with no end in sight to the mounting rubbish littering the area.

On Thursday, a worried father contacted The Pembrokeshire Herald, expressing alarm after his young son picked up a hypodermic needle near their home. This distressing incident is just one of many that highlight the deteriorating conditions.

Residents have reported that overflowing rubbish bins and piles of waste have become a common sight, creating an eyesore and posing significant health hazards. The accumulation of waste has led to an increase in vermin, with rats reportedly the size of cats scavenging among the refuse. The stench of decomposing food and the sight of litter scattered across the streets have made living conditions unbearable for many.

One resident shared, “Years ago, the council used to come regularly to clean up the estate, but now the bins are only emptied every three weeks. This has led to confusion over collection schedules, and as a result, many people leave their rubbish bags out on the street, where they are torn apart by seagulls and other animals.”

The situation has escalated to the point where some residents are considering starting a petition to demand action from the local authorities. “We live in small flats with limited space to store waste. The council needs to do something—this is no way for anyone, especially children, to live,” said a frustrated local.

The issue of waste management on the estate has been compounded by the council’s push to enforce recycling. While this is a commendable effort, the lack of proper facilities and space has made it difficult for residents to comply. “Recycling is important, but without the infrastructure to support it, the situation is only getting worse,” added another resident.

Local authorities have been urged to take immediate action to address the growing concerns on the estate. The presence of hazardous waste, like needles, in public areas is particularly alarming and underscores the urgent need for a comprehensive solution to the rubbish issues on Mount Estate.

As we have previously reported: In late 2019, Pembrokeshire introduced a colour-coded kerbside waste recycling system, with coloured different bags for different types of waste. However, some flats and estates in the county were initially exempt from the new, more complicated system, sticking to the previous options of orange recycling bags and black/grey normal waste bags.

In a submitted question to council, Cllr Carey said: “Since the introduction of the kerbside collection policy, the majority of Pembrokeshire residents have done their part to fulfil their end of the deal.

“As far as I am aware, Mount Estate is not required to put the same effort into their recycling as the rest of the county”, Cllr Carey said.

The Local Authority have now obviously made efforts to change that, but will it work?

Pembrokeshire has been named as the best recycling county in the whole of Wales.

A Pembrokeshire County Council spokesman, said: “As part of the roll-out of the final phases of the kerbside sort recycling scheme in Pembrokeshire, the Mount Estate was moved onto the Kerbside Sort Recycling system in March 2024.

“Each household was provided with the appropriate recycling containers, calendars of collections and literature surrounding the system in addition to a campaign of educational door knocking visits by our Environment Advisors to support households with the changes.

“A large number of properties at the Mount Estate, as per the rest of Pembrokeshire, are presenting their waste and recycling correctly which has resulted in Pembrokeshire being one of the top performing recycling authorities in Wales. This is something we are extremely proud of and thankful for.

“However as the image taken the day before collections show there are some isolated areas which are not fully participating in the recycling scheme at present.

“We are continuing to work with the residents and the housing team surrounding their waste and recycling provisions and to ensure appropriate storage facilities are in place for households.

“We are also taking appropriate action when evidence of fly tipping or non-compliance is found.”

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