Campaigners want the tip closed immediately

Dumping of domestic rubbish there was suspended before Christmas, after a report commissioned by the Welsh Assembly recommended its closure on environmental health grounds.

Meeting Wednesday night, councillors agreed to bring forward the scheduled the closure date, originally tabled for 18 months's time, also ending disposal of commercial, industrial waste, which has been continuing.

They are now asking the Welsh Assembly to help foot the �1.8m bill required to wind down the facility.

Waste tip operators Amgen say the Nantywgyddon landfill site will close immediately and waste disposal will cease permanently from Sunday.

Sir David Purchon's report in December said the site was too windy, too wet and too close to nearby residents in Gelli, who have campaigned long and hard for the removal of the tip.

Closure welcomed

Rhondda AM Geraint Davies has confirmed "no more commercial waste would be dumped at Nantygwddon."

"Local communities will be pleased to see the council taking action so closure takes place more quickly than planned," said council leader Pauline Jarman.

"We need now to bring forward proper closure schemes, but there is no turning back," said Plaid Cymru's Ms Jarman.

Plaid Cymru's Jill Evans, a European Parliament member, also welcomed the decision of her party's local authority members - she earlier gave the European Parliament a petition with residents' views.

Pauline Jarman: 'Quick action'

"There are a million tons of dangerous waste sitting on the top of that mountain which is polluting our communities," she said.

"Despite years of protest against the tip, Labour alleged that there was nothing wrong and would not take the complaints seriously.

"At last, action is now being taken and the tip is being closed."

But she said questions still remained over reasons for European funding given to the tip in the name of tourism and industrial development, and the location of documents relating to the grants.

She said matters were being investigated by the European Commission.

Report recommendation

Protestors in the area have been campaigning against the site for 10 years.

Their arguments were supported by the Welsh assembly report, which followed a year-long investigation into the site.

The decision to halt household waste dumping at the tip took effect within hours.

Mr Purchon's report described the location, above the village of Gelli, as unsuitable for a landfill site.

"It isn't often in my experience that household waste dumps are found on the tops of mountains," said Mr Purchon.

"I was very surprised at how exposed the site was, and how difficult it would be to operate it without causing nuisance in the surrounding area."

Dumping was switched to the Trecatti facility at Dowlais near Merthyr Tydfil.

The council is now looking at other options for the long-term disposal of waste in the area, including the use of redundant coal tips.