“Recycling mania” to blame for rodent increase?
You may have seen the front page headlines in the Daily Mail (and maybe elsewhere) last week blaming composting and recycling for the increase in rats.
This followed a recently published report by the National Pest Technician's Association. According to the report, brown rat infestations increased by 39% between 1998 and 2005. The NPTA warned that if the present UK trend continues the rodent population could give rise to a “major public health risk”. “Recycling mania” was mentioned as a cause for the increase.
However, there were other contributory factors. In no particular order, the NPTA report listed:
More Councils starting to charge for domestic rodent work resulting in more rodents not being treated as before
Private water companies paying insufficient attention to clearing any reservoirs of Brown Rats from the sewers they are responsible for
The overfeeding of wild birds and therefore a 24/7 source of rodent food
Both litter, discarded food and containers from fast food outlets and the increase in fly tipping providing food and harborage
Compost bins not used correctly and allowing rats in particular to get inside and find both food and harborage
Derelict urban properties not being brought back into accommodation again providing harborage.
The report also said that household refuse stored in black plastic bags and overflowing wheelie bins provided another 24/7 source of rodent food.
www.Letsrecycle.com, the independent website for businesses, local authorities and voluntary groups involved in recycling and waste management, reports that the recycling and waste sector has hit back at the report, with experts saying they were "unimpressed" by its level of research and accuracy. Senior recycling figures told www.letsrecycle.com that they see few signs of more rats being encouraged through fortnightly collections or greater use of compost bins.
The Composting Association advised home composters not to put food waste, apart from apple cores, banana skins etc. into compost bins. If any form of food waste is composted, or you see signs of rats or mice, the bins should be made vermin-proof (eg using wire mesh or buying plastic bases).
For further information see:
also www.recycle.now.com - website run by the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP).