Fortnightly rubbish collection creating a plague of rats
Keith Parkins | 08.01.2007 12:04 | Ecology | Health | Social Struggles
'The recycling mania now among us is creating a serious knock-on problem. Household refuse stored in black plastic bags and overflowing wheelie bins causes a 24/7 source of rodent food.' -- National Pest Technicians Association
'Councils are being bullied by the Government into axing weekly rubbish collections, despite this clearly being against the public's wishes. People don't want bags of rubbish hanging around for days on end, bringing bad smells and attracting vermin' -- Eric Pickles, Tory Environment spokesman
We need to cut down our waste, increase our rates of recycling. These worthy objectives have full public support.
Unfortunately too many councils are abusing the public, using recycling as an excuse to cut down on public services, whilst at the same time pushing local taxes up year-on-year at rates at least double that of the prevailing rate of inflation.
Many councils have gone or are going down the route of cutting waste collection from once a week to only once a fortnight with the expected problems of fly-tipping, rotting garbage and rats.
Non-compliance by the public with these highly unpopular cuts is to levy on-the-spot fines. Across the country 100 people a day are being fined.
As usual it is the long suffering public who are having to bear the cost of crass policies pushed on then by incompetent and corrupt councillors and their useless officials.
Entirely predictable, the country is now faced with a plague of rats.
In a recent report, the National Pest Technicians Association has warned of a plague of rats sweeping the country. The cause of this plague is councils cutting the frequency of rubbish collections from weekly to fortnightly. Their report comes hot on the heals of a report last year of super rats gorging themselves silly on rubbish and waste food.
Based on returns from over 300 local councils, there has been a 69% increase in vermin infestation.
The National Pest Technicians Association puts the problem down to fortnightly refuse collection and associated problems of overflowing bins, fly-tipping and rubbish left at the side of bins and the growing problem of junk food dropped in the street.
'Whilst the main reason for this change [from weekly to fortnightly collection], we are told, is the need to bring in greater recycling initiatives, we believe it should not be done to the detriment of the removal of ordinary putrescible (liable to rot) and organic waste from homes.'
The advice from a government quango to councils is to introduce fortnightly waste collection in the winter so as to minimise the smell and lessen public opposition.
This advice flies in the face of advice from the WHO which recommends in temperate climates like the UK waste should be collected at least once a week.
The dumb advice from the jobsworths at Redditch Council in Worcestershire is that if you are suffering a stench from rotting putrescent garbage is to install a carbon filter in your wheelie bin. Can't find a carbon filter, then how about dropping a couple of Odour Eaters into the bin?
One of the worst performing councils the Rotten Borough of Rushmoor, with a recycling rate of just over 20%, with a target of 40% by 2010, is one of the councils using recycling as an excuse to cut services. The public has made very clear their strong opposition, but the council is not listening, especially the arrogant head of environment David Quirk. The level of objection can be seen by the fact that Independent Councillor Peter Sandy is now receiving 20 letters of objection through his letter box every day.
In marked contrast with the Rotten Borough of Rushmoor, North Kesteven in Lincolnshire, at 51.5% the top performing council in the country, has a very simple system, provides clear information to the public on what should go into each bin, works with the public and heeds what they have to say, in addition there has been the investment made in the equipment that separates and recycles the waste.
It seems some councils just don't learn. Lincoln City, neighbouring council to North Kesteven, is introducing a recycling system, which it would be an understatement to describe as complicated. The public has already kicked up a fuss. Is it too much to ask that they look to their better performing neighbour? North Kesteven has found that a simple system works.
The public pays for and expects to receive decent public services. The latest daft initiative to emanate from the Local Government Association is a proposal to charge households for the collection of domestic refuse.
Web
http://www.thetruthinrushmoor.co.uk/
http://www.npta.org.uk/
http://www.lga.gov.uk/
Reference
Steve Bird, Recycling for city's glass? We're working on it now, letters, Lincolnshire Echo, 8 January 2007
Lester R Brown, Plan B 2.0, Norton, 2006
Lester R. Brown, Throwaway economy in trouble, Earth Policy Institute, 30 November 2006
http://www.earth-policy.org/Books/Seg/PB2ch06_ss4.htm
'Charges needed' in war on waste, BBC News on-line, 8 January 2007
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6240119.stm
Alex Crawford, If the weekly bin collection system ain't broke don't fix it, letters, Farnborough News, 1 December 2006
Martin Delgado, Dawn of the Super Rat... and blame the end of weekly rubbish collections, Daily Mail, 16 September 2006
Martin Delagdo, Smelly bins? Then get some Odour Eaters, The Mail on Sunday, 7 January 2007
Steve Doughty, 100 a day fined by bin police, Daily Mail, 11 November 2006
Steve Doughty, A New Plague: Recycling and fortnightly rubbish collections are bringing a huge rise in rat numbers, warn experts, Daily Mail, 5 January 2007
LGA War on Waste launched as figures show Britain is officially the dustbin of Europe, press release, 7 January 2007
http://www.lga.gov.uk/PressRelease.asp?lSection=0&id=SX8452-A783F328
Andrew Milford, Alternate bins plan gets a trial run, Farnborough News, 10 November 2006
Andrew Milford, Opposition mounting to alternate bin collections, Aldershot News, 17 November 2006
Andrew Milford, Bin plan backlash gathers supporters, Aldershot Mail, 28 November 2006
http://www.aldershot.co.uk/news/2005/2005745/bin_plan_backlash_gathers_supporters
Cliff Mogg, Bins trial rebels: 'Take part or else' warning over boycott threat, Surrey-Hants Star, 7 December 2006
http://www.shstar.co.uk/news/2006/2006045/bins_trial_rebels
NK Recycles Most in Country, press release, North Kesteven, 18 December 2006
http://www.n-kesteven.gov.uk/section.asp?docId=3205&catId=87
NKDC says - Thank you residents, you are our Christmas No. 1!, press release, North Kesteven, 22 Dec 2006
http://www.n-kesteven.gov.uk/section.asp?docId=3208&catId=87
NPTA National Rodent Survey Report 2006, NPTA, January 2007
http://www.npta.org.uk/assets/documents/RodentReportJan07.pdf
James Newall, New life as hangover hill gets massive makeover, Lincolnshire Echo, 30 December 2006
http://www.thisislincolnshire.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=156153&command=displayContent&sourceNode=156136&contentPK=16292008&moduleName=InternalSearch&formname=filtersearch
Keith Parkins, Curitiba – Designing a sustainable city, April 2006
http://www.heureka.clara.net/gaia/curitiba.htm
Keith Parkins, Alternate Bin Collections, Indymedia UK, 13 November 2006
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/11/355923.html?c=on
Keith Parkins, It's just rubbish, letters, Surrey-Hants Star, 16 November 2006
Keith Parkins, Rushmoor fortnightly bin collection, Indymedia UK, 17 November 2006
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/11/356166.html?c=on
Keith Parkins, Shredded paper not recyclable, Indymedia UK, 21 November 2006
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/11/356502.html
Keith Parkins, The Truth in Rushmoor, Indymedia UK, 30 November 2006
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/11/357418.html
Keith Parkins, Fortnightly collection of bins has nothing to do with recycling, letters, Farnborough News, 1 December 2006
Keith Parkins, A load of rubbish, Indymedia UK, 12 December 2006
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/12/358225.html
Keith Parkins, Failing councils are creating gravy trains for consultants, Indymedia UK, 12 December 2006
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/12/358589.html
Keith Parkins, Recycling – a tale of two councils, Indymedia UK, 5 January 2007
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/01/359341.html?c=on
Recycling 'cutting CO2 emissions', BBC News on-line, 22 December 2006
http://newsvote.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6202317.stm
'Councils are being bullied by the Government into axing weekly rubbish collections, despite this clearly being against the public's wishes. People don't want bags of rubbish hanging around for days on end, bringing bad smells and attracting vermin' -- Eric Pickles, Tory Environment spokesman
We need to cut down our waste, increase our rates of recycling. These worthy objectives have full public support.
Unfortunately too many councils are abusing the public, using recycling as an excuse to cut down on public services, whilst at the same time pushing local taxes up year-on-year at rates at least double that of the prevailing rate of inflation.
Many councils have gone or are going down the route of cutting waste collection from once a week to only once a fortnight with the expected problems of fly-tipping, rotting garbage and rats.
Non-compliance by the public with these highly unpopular cuts is to levy on-the-spot fines. Across the country 100 people a day are being fined.
As usual it is the long suffering public who are having to bear the cost of crass policies pushed on then by incompetent and corrupt councillors and their useless officials.
Entirely predictable, the country is now faced with a plague of rats.
In a recent report, the National Pest Technicians Association has warned of a plague of rats sweeping the country. The cause of this plague is councils cutting the frequency of rubbish collections from weekly to fortnightly. Their report comes hot on the heals of a report last year of super rats gorging themselves silly on rubbish and waste food.
Based on returns from over 300 local councils, there has been a 69% increase in vermin infestation.
The National Pest Technicians Association puts the problem down to fortnightly refuse collection and associated problems of overflowing bins, fly-tipping and rubbish left at the side of bins and the growing problem of junk food dropped in the street.
'Whilst the main reason for this change [from weekly to fortnightly collection], we are told, is the need to bring in greater recycling initiatives, we believe it should not be done to the detriment of the removal of ordinary putrescible (liable to rot) and organic waste from homes.'
The advice from a government quango to councils is to introduce fortnightly waste collection in the winter so as to minimise the smell and lessen public opposition.
This advice flies in the face of advice from the WHO which recommends in temperate climates like the UK waste should be collected at least once a week.
The dumb advice from the jobsworths at Redditch Council in Worcestershire is that if you are suffering a stench from rotting putrescent garbage is to install a carbon filter in your wheelie bin. Can't find a carbon filter, then how about dropping a couple of Odour Eaters into the bin?
One of the worst performing councils the Rotten Borough of Rushmoor, with a recycling rate of just over 20%, with a target of 40% by 2010, is one of the councils using recycling as an excuse to cut services. The public has made very clear their strong opposition, but the council is not listening, especially the arrogant head of environment David Quirk. The level of objection can be seen by the fact that Independent Councillor Peter Sandy is now receiving 20 letters of objection through his letter box every day.
In marked contrast with the Rotten Borough of Rushmoor, North Kesteven in Lincolnshire, at 51.5% the top performing council in the country, has a very simple system, provides clear information to the public on what should go into each bin, works with the public and heeds what they have to say, in addition there has been the investment made in the equipment that separates and recycles the waste.
It seems some councils just don't learn. Lincoln City, neighbouring council to North Kesteven, is introducing a recycling system, which it would be an understatement to describe as complicated. The public has already kicked up a fuss. Is it too much to ask that they look to their better performing neighbour? North Kesteven has found that a simple system works.
The public pays for and expects to receive decent public services. The latest daft initiative to emanate from the Local Government Association is a proposal to charge households for the collection of domestic refuse.
Web
http://www.thetruthinrushmoor.co.uk/ http://www.npta.org.uk/ http://www.lga.gov.uk/ Reference
Steve Bird, Recycling for city's glass? We're working on it now, letters, Lincolnshire Echo, 8 January 2007
Lester R Brown, Plan B 2.0, Norton, 2006
Lester R. Brown, Throwaway economy in trouble, Earth Policy Institute, 30 November 2006
http://www.earth-policy.org/Books/Seg/PB2ch06_ss4.htm 'Charges needed' in war on waste, BBC News on-line, 8 January 2007
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6240119.stm Alex Crawford, If the weekly bin collection system ain't broke don't fix it, letters, Farnborough News, 1 December 2006
Martin Delgado, Dawn of the Super Rat... and blame the end of weekly rubbish collections, Daily Mail, 16 September 2006
Martin Delagdo, Smelly bins? Then get some Odour Eaters, The Mail on Sunday, 7 January 2007
Steve Doughty, 100 a day fined by bin police, Daily Mail, 11 November 2006
Steve Doughty, A New Plague: Recycling and fortnightly rubbish collections are bringing a huge rise in rat numbers, warn experts, Daily Mail, 5 January 2007
LGA War on Waste launched as figures show Britain is officially the dustbin of Europe, press release, 7 January 2007
http://www.lga.gov.uk/PressRelease.asp?lSection=0&id=SX8452-A783F328 Andrew Milford, Alternate bins plan gets a trial run, Farnborough News, 10 November 2006
Andrew Milford, Opposition mounting to alternate bin collections, Aldershot News, 17 November 2006
Andrew Milford, Bin plan backlash gathers supporters, Aldershot Mail, 28 November 2006
http://www.aldershot.co.uk/news/2005/2005745/bin_plan_backlash_gathers_supporters Cliff Mogg, Bins trial rebels: 'Take part or else' warning over boycott threat, Surrey-Hants Star, 7 December 2006
http://www.shstar.co.uk/news/2006/2006045/bins_trial_rebels NK Recycles Most in Country, press release, North Kesteven, 18 December 2006
http://www.n-kesteven.gov.uk/section.asp?docId=3205&catId=87 NKDC says - Thank you residents, you are our Christmas No. 1!, press release, North Kesteven, 22 Dec 2006
http://www.n-kesteven.gov.uk/section.asp?docId=3208&catId=87 NPTA National Rodent Survey Report 2006, NPTA, January 2007
http://www.npta.org.uk/assets/documents/RodentReportJan07.pdf James Newall, New life as hangover hill gets massive makeover, Lincolnshire Echo, 30 December 2006
http://www.thisislincolnshire.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=156153&command=displayContent&sourceNode=156136&contentPK=16292008&moduleName=InternalSearch&formname=filtersearch Keith Parkins, Curitiba – Designing a sustainable city, April 2006
http://www.heureka.clara.net/gaia/curitiba.htm Keith Parkins, Alternate Bin Collections, Indymedia UK, 13 November 2006
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/11/355923.html?c=on Keith Parkins, It's just rubbish, letters, Surrey-Hants Star, 16 November 2006
Keith Parkins, Rushmoor fortnightly bin collection, Indymedia UK, 17 November 2006
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/11/356166.html?c=on Keith Parkins, Shredded paper not recyclable, Indymedia UK, 21 November 2006
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/11/356502.html Keith Parkins, The Truth in Rushmoor, Indymedia UK, 30 November 2006
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/11/357418.html Keith Parkins, Fortnightly collection of bins has nothing to do with recycling, letters, Farnborough News, 1 December 2006
Keith Parkins, A load of rubbish, Indymedia UK, 12 December 2006
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/12/358225.html Keith Parkins, Failing councils are creating gravy trains for consultants, Indymedia UK, 12 December 2006
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/12/358589.html Keith Parkins, Recycling – a tale of two councils, Indymedia UK, 5 January 2007
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/01/359341.html?c=on Recycling 'cutting CO2 emissions', BBC News on-line, 22 December 2006
http://newsvote.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6202317.stm
Keith Parkins
Homepage:
http://www.heureka.clara.net/gaia/
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