Pest control: Tackling Birmingham's rat infestation
Birmingham is in the midst of a crisis. With an estimated 17,000 tonnes of rubbish now lining the streets due to an ongoing bin strike, the city has become a breeding ground for vermin.
Birmingham City Council has been forced to declare a major incident as the bin men strike continues across the city.
Residents are into the fourth week of strikes as the unions and council attempt to end an ongoing dispute over lost job roles and pay.
The council has said daily pickets have blocked their depots meaning workers can not get out to clear waste off the streets. Public health concerns have also been risen as a result. Rats are thriving, feasting on rotting food, and making their way closer to homes.
To understand the full scale of the problem, I spent the day with Wayne Newman, a pest control expert from OP Kill Pest Control.
"This isn't the first time we've been here," Wayne tells me as he wades through yet another pile of knee-high-rubbish.
"We've been coming back every few days, and each time, the piles of rubbish are getting higher and higher."
The issue, he explains, is that traditional methods of pest control, such as poisons, are proving ineffective.
"They've got so much other food to check," he says, pointing at a pile of avocado skins nibbled through by rodents.
"Rat traps are working better at the moment."Peering inside one of his traps, he lifts out a rat.
"That one's probably just a few months old. But they get bigger—adult rats can reach 500 to 600 grams comfortably."
With tabloids running sensational headlines about giant rodents, I ask Wayne whether there's any truth to it. "I think there's a bit of exaggeration there," he says.
"But to people who are scared of rats, even an average-sized one will seem enormous.
"What isn’t an exaggeration, however, is the public health risk.
"Rats carry diseases like Weil’s disease and hantavirus," he warns. "This is something even the bin men are going to be concerned about when they eventually return to clear all of this."
As we continue inspecting the site, it's clear the problem is worsening. "Look at this," Wayne says, pointing to a bin liner torn open with bite marks.
"And down here—holes. That’s where they’re coming in and out."Flies buzz aggressively around us.
"As it gets warmer, this is only going to get worse," he explains.
"Flies thrive in this environment, and when you've got rotting food, nappies, and takeaway boxes sitting out in the open, it’s inevitable."
Birmingham City Council has advised residents to double-bag their rubbish to deter rats. But according to Wayne, this is futile.
"Two bin bags aren’t going to stop a rat. If they want to, they'll chew through the lid of this bin."
The real solution, he says, is simple: "Get rid of the rubbish. Until all of this is removed, we're fighting a losing battle."
The consequences of inaction could be severe.
"We're not far off from people seeing rats in their homes," Wayne warns.
"We're just metres away from residential buildings. If rats find a defect in the structure, they'll move in."And it’s not just rats.
"We’re getting calls about foxes and other pests too. But overwhelmingly, it’s rats. We've doubled our workload in Birmingham since this bin strike started."
As we wrap up our visit, Wayne gives a grim final warning.
"Once the strike is over and the rubbish is gone, the rats won't just disappear. They'll look elsewhere for food."
Fresh talks set to take place on Monday, between Unite and Birmingham City Council, could bring an end to the misery in Birmingham.
Until then, the fear for residents is that the rats will move from the piles of rubbish and into their homes.
