Bin collections could be cut back as councils run short of workers
Fears waste will start to build up, risking ‘a plague of rats’ and creating more public health issues
‘It is not just a matter of nuisance but a public health issue as rats carry many diseases which can be easily spread to humans … the last thing this country needs is a plague of rats’
COUNCILS could carry out fewer bin collections as they say that the vital service is under constant review during the coronavirus outbreak.
Local authorities trying to keep household waste collections going amid staffing shortages have admitted that if the outbreak continues to take its toll they will have to reduce frequency.
Both Leicester City Council and North East Lincolnshire Council have admitted that their general rubbish collections may run at a reduced service as staff become ill or decide to selfisolate.
The reduction in collections has led to fears of an increase in rodents, as people stockpile perishable goods and rubbish begins to pile up. Cllr Adam Clarke, from Leicester City Council, said that its weekly collections were under “constant review” and “dependent upon workforce availability, additional available agency crew and potential for redeployment”.
He added that its contingency plan with the contractor Biffa would prioritise collections of household waste including dry mixed recycling.
North East Lincolnshire Council said it was “assessing staffing on a daily basis” and that, should it face shortages, “our plans would be to reduce frequency of collections, rather than fully stopping them”.
Last night, the British Pest Control Association (BPCA) warned councils to “collect rubbish regularly” or risk a “plague of rats”.
Dee Ward-thompson, BPCA technical manager, said: “The link between piles of uncollected bin bags and pests is clear. More rubbish, particularly food, supports the emergence of pests and rodent infestations.
“It’s not just a matter of nuisance, but a public health issue as rats carry many diseases which can be easily spread to humans through their urine, including toxoplasmosis and Weil’s disease. The last thing the country needs right now is a plague of rats alongside the pandemic. Our message is simple – collect rubbish regularly, so you don’t feed the rats.”
Across the board, householders are already seeing a huge cutback on waste disposal services including bulky waste, garden waste, recycling and food collections.
Manchester, Leeds and St Helens have suspended garden waste and food waste collections, while Bristol City Council, which has stopped garden and bulky waste collections, said it was encouraging residents to “compost their garden waste at home” and “avoid placing extra strain on our services”.
To prepare for the disruption, North East Lincolnshire Council has moved staff from other teams, as have South Glouctershire Council and Portsmouth City Council, which has begun training council staff as loaders and is contacting additional drivers “to create some resilience for the coming weeks”. The service currently remains the same.
Hull City Council said it has trained up to 45 additional staff members to provide waste collection, but this means that other services, such as collecting bulky items, will be reduced.
Meanwhile, with more people at home, Durham County Council pleaded with the public to “park appropriately and leave access for bin crews to get lorries into estates and down small roads”. People who are self-isolating are also being urged to place waste and recycling in double-bagged plastic bags and not to put their waste out until 72 hours after it has been bagged up.
The Local Government Association said it was concerned that an increase in DIY and gardening might lead to an increase in fly-tipping.
A spokesman said: “Residents can definitely play a role by reducing waste and following advice from councils if waste and recycling services are subject to temporary changes. Fly-tipping is never acceptable and services will be restored once it is safe to do.” He said councils will “continue to work hard to keep waste and recycling services working as effectively as possible and to ensure the safety of the workforces delivering this key public service.”