Amid Birmingham bin strike, Rats and other rodents pose huge public health risk on residents 

The build-up of refuse caused by Birmingham’s ongoing bin collection strike poses a huge public health danger, with rodents flourishing on a banquet of rotting food left out for them.

Recall that about 400 council bin/ Waste workers in Birmingham went on strike on Tuesday in a row over jobs and pay. Unite warned disruption could last into the summer while the city council countered that they had made a fair and reasonable offer.

Birmingham City Council said it had made a “fair and reasonable offer” to the workers and claimed the “escalation” of industrial action would mean greater disruption for residents.

The technical manager at the National Pest Technicians Association (NPTA), Grahame Turner, said: “This is a huge public health danger, and what we’re seeing in Birmingham is incredibly concerning.

“Pests like rats, mice and even squirrels are on the lookout for easy meals at this time of year, and easily accessible waste is an open invitation.

“Rotting food is an absolute banquet to them, and Birmingham is already extremely vulnerable due to previous strikes and infestation levels of rodents that are observed within urban areas.”

The manager went on to explain that once rodents find overflowing bins, they may explore other parts of the location too, such as nearby houses, seeking warmth and shelter.

“Rodents aren’t just a nuisance – they can pose serious health risks to you and your family. Rats and mice are known to carry diseases such as leptospirosis, hantavirus, and salmonella, which can spread through their droppings, urine, and even by contaminating food supplies,” he warned.

Alongside that, they can cause “serious structural damage” by chewing through electrical wiring, insulation and even causing damage to plumbing.

In light of the strikes, Mr Turner said if residents could take any actions to minimise encouraging rodents, they should and this could take the form of storing uncollected rubbish in sealed boxes or bins, or transporting the waste themselves to a local recycling centre or tip.

However Lassa fever is rampant in the world currently which is caused by rats and rodents, Birmingham taking caution to curb this earlier can save the world from another larger outbreak of diseases.