The move from weekly to fortnightly waste collections led to an “explosion” in the rat population under Labour, according to the communities secretary Eric Pickles.
Mr Pickles claimed that a report prepared for Defra by the Food and Environment Research Agency in May 2010, entitled ‘Rodent infestations in domestic properties in England 2005-2007', was evidence that reducing weekly collections had prompted a dramatic increase in rat numbers.
The slashing of weekly rubbish collections has fuelled an explosion in the rat population, posing a serious health risk to the public
Eric Pickles, communities secretary
According to the Daily Express – which said Mr Pickles had “discovered” the report – the research showed that the number of rats in or near domestic properties had grown from 2.1 million in 1996 to 3.4 million in 2007.
Describing the situation with the report as a “scandalous cover up”, Mr Pickles said: “It seems the only ones to prosper during Labour's time in power were the rats.”
“The slashing of weekly rubbish collections has fuelled an explosion in the rat population, posing a serious health risk to the public.”
Actual
However, the report, which has been seen by letsrecycle.com, appears to include no actual figures for the number of rats, and instead states that the percentage of occupied properties with rats inside or outside increased from an estimated 2.1% in 1996 to 3.41% in 2007.
It also claimed that there had been “no significant increase” in the percentage of properties with rats outside between 2001 and 2007 and, that while the percentage of properties with rats inside increased between 2004 and 2007, the difference was “not statistically significant”.
This was commented on by one senior local government official, who also noted that the report made no mention of any causes of the rat population, such as waste.
“As far as I can see the report shows there has been no significant increase in the reported incidence of mice or rats inside or outside homes since 2001 when alternate weekly collection (AWC) started taking off and the report makes no comment at all on causes let alone blaming anything on AWC,” he said.
The issue of whether introducing fortnightly collections of residual waste leads to rat population increases is not a new one, with the National Pest Technicians Association (NPTA) claiming in 2007 that AWC prompted a 39% increase in brown rat infestations between 1998 and 2005 (see letsrecycle.com story).
However, claims of a link were questioned by local authorities and then-recycling minister Joan Ruddock who stressed in 2008 that using wheeled bins would mean vermin is not an issue for AWC (see letsrecycle.com story).
This was echoed by a spokeswoman from the Waste & Resources Action Programme, who said: “In areas across the country where AWC is operated WRAP advises that waste should be stored in appropriate and secure containers.
“Where this is done there is no evidence to suggest that AWC can lead to an increase in rats. This view is shared by the National Pest Technicians Association. It is vital that householders and Local Authorities work together, that people put out the right waste on the right days, and are provided with adequate storage, to ensure the safe and timely disposal of household waste.”
“If a food waste container is used correctly, with a liner and lockable lid there is no evidence that food waste collections contribute to an increase in numbers of rats,” she added.
Weekly collections
Mr Pickles' comments this week are the latest in a growing number of statements the communities secretary has made in favour of weekly waste collections, after he wrote to the Audit Commission in June 2010 saying it should repeal guidance which, he claimed, had prompted a move to fortnightly collections (see letsrecycle.com story).
Helping councils to improve the “frequency and quality” of their collections was also one of the key issues identified for examination by the government's review of England's waste policy when it was formally launched last month (see letsrecycle.com story).
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