The striking new mural, splashed across a corrugated wall near Ysgol Melin, features piercing green eyes and a bilingual warning: “No fly tipping — don’t waste our future.” It’s bold, it’s angry, and it’s built from the ideas of Year 5 pupils who’ve had enough of rubbish dumped in their streets.
Nathan Wyburn, known for creating portraits out of Marmite, glitter and even burnt toast — and for appearing on Britain’s Got Talent — led the project after a hands-on workshop with the children and Neath Port Talbot Council. The kids didn’t just paint — they helped design the whole thing, from the message to the mood.
Discarded furniture and waste were piled in front of the mural during the unveiling, hammering home the point: this is what fly-tipping looks like, and this is what it does to communities.
Cllr Scott Jones, Cabinet Member for Streetscene, said:
“We’re incredibly proud of the progress we’ve made in Neath Port Talbot. This year alone we achieved a 26% reduction in fly-tipping incidents – one of the largest decreases across all Welsh local authorities.”
Benjamin Meredith-Davies from Fly-tipping Action Wales added:
“This mural is more than artwork — it’s a call to action. These kids care deeply about their community, and they’ve used art to spark real conversations about waste and respect.”
The mural is part of a wider push to clean up Wales and crack down on illegal dumping. But it’s also a reminder that the next generation isn’t waiting quietly — they’re picking up paint rollers and making noise.
