Council teams up with Tesco to tackle litter problem

The council has teamed up with Tesco in Ammanford as part of an awareness-raising campaign to tackle the problem of litter and dog fouling.

Environmental enforcement officers set up a stand in the store foyer with information and advice for customers and to answer any questions they had.

They were also joined by the local PCSO Rhian James and also gave out disposable ashtrays, gum wraps and poop bags.

Keeping the county clean is a key priority for the council and much work is underway to educate people on the consequences of dropping litter and dog fouling.

Executive Board Member for Environmental and Public Protection Cllr Jim Jones said: “I must thank Ammanford Tesco for inviting officers into the store to help educate the public on littering and dog fouling issues and for all the work they do in the community and to protect the local environment.

“We are very lucky here in Carmarthenshire that compared to other areas, it is very clean; however, there is always room for improvement and with the help of residents and businesses we can really make a difference.”

Some litter can take years to degrade, causing significant harm to wildlife and the environment. It also spoils the appearance of an area and can lead to further crime being committed. Dog mess left anywhere can also cause a health risk.

Ammanford Tesco store manager Alison Jones said: “In addition to our national charity partnerships, Tesco Ammanford are really proud to work with hundreds of charities and community organisations every year at a local level, we are trying to shape how we can get involved in local community events, providing support where it is most needed, and help keep our customers up to date with the most recent activity.

“Our colleagues in store regularly go out and litter pick in the community and we wanted to build stronger community relationship links through volunteer work which colleagues participate in on a regular basis. I’m hoping today’s awareness event will help our customers work with us to improve our local community.

“Tesco are committed to reducing our impact on the environment and it is an essential as part of our commitment to be a responsible business.”

CAPTION: Pictured at Tesco in Ammanford are (from left) council officers Michael Roberts, Steve Raymond, Julie Richards, Cllr Jim Jones, store manager Alison Jones and PCSO Rhian James.