Bins in a Birmingham street have gone uncollected for over six weeks, with residents fearful that “overflowing” rubbish is creating a “serious health and environmental hazard” in their area.
Household waste collection on Ashton Croft, Ladywood has been at a standstill since January 28, and since then, homeowners have started to spot “rodent activity” nearby their homes.
SIGN OUR PETITION: CALLING FOR HARSHER PUNISHMENT FOR THOSE THAT TRASH OUR COUNTRY
One resident, George Smith, told GB News of his and other residents’ frustration at the mounting waste outside their properties and the lack of council action.
He said: “The uncollected rubbish, now accumulating for over six weeks, has created a severe public health and environmental hazard. Communal bins are overflowing onto the streets, with all bin lids permanently open due to excessive household waste.
Sign our petition to stop the litter blight across our United Kingdom
As the waste continues to go uncollected, the mounting piles of rubbish grows and spills into public areas, forcing residents to clean streets daily
George Smith
“Ripped bin bags indicate vermin activity, and residents have reported evidence of rodent activity also in their gardens.”
Smith said that Birmingham City Council has “failed” to deal with the situation, telling residents to continue to put their rubbish outside as usual.
As the waste continues to go uncollected, the mounting piles of rubbish grows and spills into public areas, forcing residents to clean streets daily, he added.
Since January, council bin workers have been protesting against pay cuts following the scrapping of waste collection and recycling officer roles.
STOP TRASHING BRITAIN:
Smith said he found it ‘especially concerning’ that collections were not resumed on non-strike days
George Smith
Smith said that whilst some areas of the city have retained weekly collections during the ongoing strikes, Ladywood had not been so lucky.
He said he found it “especially concerning” that collections were not resumed on non-strike days, labelling it a “blatant dereliction of duty towards the community”.
He told The People’s Channel: “The council’s inability to manage the strike from its outset has exacerbated the crisis, leaving residents to deal with the consequences.
“People are outraged, upset and feel abandoned by the council. There is no contingency plan to support households dealing with the mounting rubbish.
Smith said that Birmingham City Council has ‘failed’ to deal with the situation, telling residents to continue to put their rubbish outside as usual
PA
“If residents comply with the council’s instructions to keep putting out their waste, it will only worsen the environmental and health risks, including the spread of vermin. However, storing household waste indoors indefinitely is neither practical nor hygienic.”
Earlier this week, nearly 400 council bin workers in Birmingham walked out indefinitely in a dispute over jobs and pay.
The strike action threatens to cause significant disruption to waste collection services across the city.
Unite Union has warned that bin disruption could stretch into the summer after refuse workers voted to extend their strike mandate.
Sign our petition to stop the litter blight across our United Kingdom