A third of rubbish removed from Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) could be avoided with an All-In Deposit Return Scheme

Hill Walking News
15 Oct
4 min read

Over 800 drinks containers were removed from Wales’ highest peak last weekend causing environmental campaigners to demand the urgent introduction of a Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) for bottles and cans.

Of the 2,765 items of pollution collected from the Clogwyn Y Garnedd gullies in last month's Big Clean Up, the analysis by Trash Free Trails revealed plastic water bottles as the dominant culprit, with energy drinks and alcohol cans closely following.

Trash Free Trails are concerned about the ecological impacts caused by the delay to the introduction of a Deposit Return Scheme (DRS), now pushed to October 2027, with continued uncertainty around the inclusion of glass bottles around the UK.

"Our research has shown that a fifth of interactions an animal has with an item of single-use pollution will end in death, and our volunteers are increasingly finding examples of this occurring, when an animal gets trapped inside a bottle or can," says Dom Ferris, CEO of Trash Free Trails. "We know from European case studies that a DRS can eradicate a whole category of litter from our trails overnight; why are we allowing beloved hiking spots such as Snowdon [Yr Wyddfa] to become a reverse vending machine?"

Despite attempts from devolved nations, the UK’s DRS has been pushed back multiple times, with the latest postponement announced in May by the previous Secretary of State for DEFRA before the General Election. Set for October 2027, the scheme at this stage will not include glass in all parts of the UK.

40 volunteers collected 2,765 items of plastic pollution from Yr Wyddfa in 6 hours

Environmental groups, including the BMC and Trash Free Trails, are advocating for the scheme to come in as soon as possible, and for a focus on public engagement and awareness to ensure a smooth transition. The unique event on Yr Wyddfa highlights the importance of bringing the public along the journey towards a circular economy for drinks containers.

Tom Carrick, BMC Access & Conservation Officer for Wales, says, “The Yr Wyddfa Big Clean Up was the first time we have accessed the Clogwyn Y Garnedd gullies, one of the rarest Alpine habitats in the British Isles. One of the starkest issues was the volume of single-use plastic bottles; this appears to be one of the simplest items to rid from the mountain. A DRS in Wales and England, would encourage a much greater care and thought over what pollution was taken onto the mountain.”

Alec Young of Eryri National Park highlighted the delicacy of the mountain’s ecosystem, saying, ''Microplastics have been found in every soil sample monitored on the most popular paths up Yr Wyddfa. We see DRS playing a pivotal role in reducing litter on the mountain, and preventing harmful fragmented plastics from entering, and ruining, this fragile environment''.

Trash Free Trails' CEO Dom Ferris adds, "Thanks to the BMC we’ve been able to leave a positive trace on what is a really inaccessible area of the mountain, one that has never been cleaned before. And by partnering with Plantlife, Eryri National Park, Cymdeithas Eryri, RAW Adventures, Snowdon Mountain Railway and with permission from the Baron Hill Estate, we’ve also been able to take it one step further and enable over 40 volunteers to take positive action, and learn more about how a policy as simple as a DRS could have a profound impact on a place they love. It’s a no brainer really."

This was the first time climbers had abseiled down Yr Wyddfa to collect plastic pollution from it treacherous, hard-to-reach gullies

Key stats:

Total Items Removed: 2,765

Single-Use Products: 63% (1,737 items)

Most-found items:

  • Confectionery Wrappers (300)

  • Plastic Water Bottles (274)

  • 30% of items removed from Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) were drinks containers eligible to be discarded via a Deposit Return Scheme (DRS)

  • Lucozade, Red Bull, Coca Cola and Monster were prevalent brands

  • Over 2,700 items removed by volunteers and a team of expert climbers

  • 62% of items removed are single-use products

Thank you to all our volunteers who helped with the Big Clean Up!

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