With local authorities struggling with refuse collections, householders are being urged to be vigilant.

The British Pest Control Association (BPCA) has raised concerns and Dee Ward-Thompson, BPCA Technical Manager, said: “The link between piles of uncollected bin bags and pests is clear. More rubbish, particularly food, supports the emergence of pests, particularly rodent infestations. It’s not just a matter of nuisance, but a public health issue. Pests like rats, flies and urban foxes feed on the leftovers in our bins. Rats in particular carry many diseases which can be easily spread to humans through their urine, including Toxoplasmosis and Weil’s Disease. The last thing the country needs right now is a plague of rats alongside the pandemic”.

However there are many steps the householder can take to control the situation as follows:

• Keep bins sealed ensuring there are not even any small gaps.
• Make sure your bins are away from direct sunlight, windows and doors. This will help reduce the smell and rate of decomposition.
• Don’t leave leftover food lying around and empty your food waste daily.
• Food waste should never ne put directly into your bin, but should be wrapped in approved composable liners.
• Try to keep any food waste in a wheelie bin and only recyclables into open bin bags