Yr Wyddfa visitors urged to stop taking plastic in bid to be world's first plastic-free mountain

 Coast & Country's Sean Fletcher explores the issues of litter on Yr Wyddfa.

Visitors to Wales' highest mountain are being discouraged from taking any plastic with them on their hikes in a bid to make it the first in the world to be plastic-free.

Around 600,000 people climb Yr Wyddfa, also known as Snowdon, every year, with litter often seen scattered along its paths.

The 'Plastic Free Yr Wyddfa' project, launched by Eryri National Park, responds to growing concerns over the impact of plastic on the environment and aims to protect the mountain’s sustainable future.

Alec Young, Plastic Free Yr Wyddfa Officer, said: "This project is about raising awareness, increasing the amount of education around all litter types, including organic litter and getting people to think twice about single use."

Mr Young said they want people to think twice about using unnecessary packaging.

550kg rubbish was taken off three out of the six main paths on the mountain by volunteers last year over a six month period.

Mr Young continued: "We want people to think twice about using unnecessary packaging, about bringing it up the mountain.

"Obviously with it being quite a light material, it can be subject to unfavourable weather conditions, it can be blown across the mountain and we just want to conserve the sustainable feature of the mountain by ensuring that people bring as little single use plastic to the summit as possible."

Ms Wyn said over the summer, inflatable boats have been amongst items left on the mountain.

The top three most littered items in hot spots like the summit are:

  • Cigarette butts

  • Drinking bottles

  • Crisps and sweet wrappers.

Leah Wyn, Volunteer Warden at Yr Wyddfa explained how over the summer, "tents, and fire pits have been the biggest culprits. Inflatable boats too."

She added: "The message we're trying to send is if you bring it up then take it down. It doesn't matter how big or small it is, try and keep Yr Wyddfa looking as beautiful as it was when you came to it."

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