Recycling officers defend fortnightly collections

In the survey by LV Home Insurance, two thirds (65%) of pest controllers interviewed across the country said the number of pests such as rodents and foxes around UK homes has increased in the past year. LV said the trend was attributed by the pest controllers to a combination of warmer houses and poorer street hygiene since domestic rubbish collections have been reduced.

These finding were seized upon by national newspapers including the Daily Telegraph, which today ran a story with the headline fortnightly bin collections lead to surge in rat population.

However, the Local Authority Recycling Advisory Committee (LARAC) said the story just represented another instance of where a link has been assumed, rather than proven.

Joy Blizzard, LARAC chair, said: These sorts of claims pop up on a regular basis – with a link often being assumed, rather than clearly demonstrated. The reasons for the increase in rodent populations includes mild winters, food being discarded in the street, less sewer baiting, excess bird food put out in gardens, BBQ food being dropped under decking and even the increase in domestic chickens. The list goes on and on.

If rubbish is put out, properly contained there is no reason why it will cause a problem. As is so often with waste issues, common sense, wasting less food and good housekeeping go a long way.

WRAP

A spokesman for the Waste & Resources Action Programme added that where waste is stored in appropriate and secure containers there is no possibility of AWC leading to an increase in foxes or rats.

Headded: 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. Evidence shows that where food waste is collected separately and weekly by a Local Authority it can lead to an increase in overall recycling.

“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 or activities of foxes or rats.

Survey

A spokeswoman for LV acknowledged that when the survey of 301 pest controllers was carried out, they were asked to choose from a number of possible factors which may have contributed to a rise in pests.

And, while 65% of those questioned said that reduced rubbish collections had contributed, there were five other factors which they thought had played a bigger part.

The most common reason cited was people bringing pests back into the UK (cited by 83% of pest controllers), followed by litter discarded and left near to peoples homes (82%), restaurants leaving waste on streets (81%), the warmer and wetter climate in the UK (75%), people feeding squirrels and foxes (69%).

The LV spokeswoman said: We didnt want to go in on the angle of fortnightly waste collections but it was a contributing factor. The last thing we want to do is attack the waste industry. Our message is that pests are on the increase and people need to protect their homes.