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Torfaen council is cracking down on flytippers with the help of an innovative forensic marking system.

Officers are setting up a string of operations using Smartwater in a bid to catch people who illegally dump items they are contracted to remove from council offices, as well as identifying goods stolen from the council.

Torfaen is the first council in Wales to roll out the use of SmartWater to reduce flytipping across the borough.

Each bottle of the liquid has a unique chemical code which is registered and provides proof of owner-ship.  The liquid is invisible to the naked eye but glows under UV light for police to detect and is almost impossible to remove.

Council officers will now be using the liquid to mark waste removed from their offices which is identified as being at high risk of being dumped, along with increased covert surveillance at fly-tipping hotspots.

Once marked, waste can be traced back to the person contracted to dispose of it and that person charged with its proper disposal.

SmartWater is also being used on all council buildings, vehicles and equipment as well as computers, laptops and external metals such as lead roofing. This is after more than £55,260 of goods were stolen from council properties in Torfaen, including £16,275 of lead from building roofs.