Last month, Brighton’s streets became clogged with rubbish as bins overflowed. The council’s attempt to standardise pay didn’t add up in the eyes of refuse collectors, many of whom faced losing £4000 a year. When negotiations broke down, the GMB union decided to strike.
Whether you supported the strike or not, the resulting mess was pretty unpleasant. To make the situation worse, the weather that week decided to be both sunny and windy. With stinking trash piles and litter blowing down the streets like tumbleweed, Brighton inhabitants were not happy.
Well, some inhabitants weren’t happy. The city’s vermin population quite enjoyed the increase in food. Sea gulls are surprisingly cunning and many didn’t think twice about ripping open a bin bag to peck at the contents inside. Urban foxes were also on the prowl, rummaging through the debris once the sun went down.
At Sussex Environmental Pest Solutions, we saw an increase in call-outs from worried residents. Rodents were the main source of concern, especially rats. Their numbers are already high in the Brighton and West Sussex area, with record levels in some areas. Of course, the week-long strike wasn’t going to boost the rodent population by a large amount. However, the piles of uncollected rubbish outside people’s homes definitely attracted them.
Rats are a danger to humans as they can spread disease. Weils disease, Salmonellosis and Lymphocytic choriomeningitits are just a few of the nasty things they can carry. Rats also have very powerful jaws and sharp teeth so can easily nibble through cables and plastic containers.
Thankfully, the council and GMB union came to an agreement so further strike action was called off. Unfortunately, the rats and other vermin who feasted on the rubbish now have to forage for a new source of food. If you spot a rat or find droppings in your home, you could have an infestation. Learn about the ways to spot a rat on our rat control page, or ring our Brighton helpline on 01273 775941 and we’ll eradicate your problem for you.