UK
Birmingham bin strike: Pest controllers ‘feel like fourth emergency service’ as rat populations ‘triple’
As we drive around Birmingham, the first thing we notice is that, to some extent, every street is affected by the rubbish problem.
If there aren’t huge piles of bags and items left by fly-tippers, there is litter all over the kerbside.
Bottles, takeaway cups, and other items mark the places where there once was a huge mound of rubbish. These are the lucky spots, if you like, where some of it has been cleaned up.
Birmingham bin workers strike explained
One mound measured over 20 metres long
‘Every street is affected by the rubbish problem’
The strikes have clearly become an opportunity for fly-tippers. The day after the city council declared a major incident, I spent the morning at one mound, which was over 20m (66ft) long and topped with bed frames and the front bonnet of a hatchback car.
Another consequence of the growing rubbish problem is rats.
Pest controllers across Birmingham are in such demand at the moment, they told me “we feel like the fourth emergency service”, with rat populations “tripling” since the industrial action began.
I spent the day with Hullternative Pest Control Services, who say they’ve seen a 60-70% increase in calls from people having rodent problems.
When I arrive at their HQ, I’m struck by how many calls they are taking – the phone is ringing regularly as people report issues with rats.
The firm’s service manager, Martin Hull, takes us into town in their van to show us the worst spots.
We pull up at Gillott Road in Edgbaston, west of the city centre, where we find piles of bin bags that have been torn open.
A rubbish pile outside a property in Birmingham
A ‘buffet’ for rats
Martin tells me it’s evidence of the rats chewing through the bags to get to what he calls their “buffet”.
We take a closer look and see ants and flies within the rotting food, too.
Striking workers at the Atlas Depot in Tyseley in Birmingham
Refuse trucks at the Atlas Depot
These piles are causing a headache for people in the area – and Martin’s seen an extra 20-30 new customer calls on top of their usual clients.
They’d usually only get 5-10 calls daily, so the increased demand is clear.
We then drive into the city centre to have a look at some of the firm’s bait boxes.
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Martin opens one up, and we see the remnants of a small blue sachet. This is the bag of poison called a pasta bait sachet… or “tea bags” in the trade.
It’s been completely eaten, and pest controllers are having to turn to more effective, “deadly” ways of dealing with the rodent infestation.
More rubbish means more calls
He shows me how they lay a physical rat trap, after filling it with paste to attract the rodents.
In a typical week, the family-run business gets through 20 traps in the area, but now, they are using around 200.
Martin says that now the rats are here in such numbers, they are going to be much harder to get rid of.
It’s clear that this is going to take a long time to clear up.