Pest Solutions managing director Chris Cagienard recently featured in the Scotsman Newspaper, discussing the connection between rubbish and pest activity, the potential effect of the upcoming bin strikes, and the work we have already been doing to help tackle littering across Scotland.
The article, titled “Bin strikes, rats and litter: How one fast-growing Glasgow business is cleaning up Scotland” covered a variety of topics, including the expansion of Pest Solutions over the past few years, our plans for the future, and the current state of the pest control industry as a whole.
Most importantly, however, it focussed on the work we have been doing in relation to anti-littering, the recent launch of our ‘Enough is Enough’ campaign, and the very serious threat the upcoming waste workers strike could have on public health.
The nationwide bin strikes, set to take place between the 14th-22nd August, has brought the issue of waste left lying around our streets firmly into the public eye. There is particular concern for our pest control Edinburgh team, as the strikes are set to clash with the Fringe Festival, and where similar strikes caused chaos during the even back in 2022.
We have been campaigning heavily for action to be taken to tackle the issue of littering for a while now, seeing first-hand the rise in pest activity that arise when rubbish is left unattended and uncovered too close to nearby homes and businesses.
Featuring in one of the largest newspapers in Scotland, we hope this Scotsman article helps contribute towards wider public awareness of the very real public health emergency we face in regards to litter and pest activity, and that firm action can finally be taken at national decision-making level.
Why is litter so important to us?
Litter is disgusting. There is no other word for it and you would struggle to visit a single town or city in the UK without seeing it lining the roads and pavements around you.
Besides the fact it looks awful, damages the local wildlife, and spreads all sorts of germs and diseases, there is one major reason that we have put so much effort into anti-littering campaigning here at Pest Solutions.
Litter, especially food waste, is a magnet for pests, with insects, rodents, and pest birds flocking, crawling, and scuttling their way into our town centres in frightening numbers.
As Pest Solutions managing director and BPCA President Chris Cagienard mentioned in his interview with the Scotsman, the UK’s waste disposal practices can leave a lot to be desired at the best of times and a major cultural change is required if any real process is to be made,
“We are not a great nation when it comes to litter and disposing of it and a lot of our buildings are ageing with gaps in them. We create a perfect environment for rodents. It’s depressing to see an area that’s cleaned up as bad as before just a month later. There has to be a cultural change to dealing with litter.”
What effect will the bin strikes have?
Whilst the bin strikes may have brought more attention to the issue of litter, this is far from a problem that has arisen overnight.
A few extra days without waste removal is likely to cause certain additional problems in regard to rubbish left lying around on the streets, with similar scenes to the piles of rubbish left lying on Edinburgh’s cobbles during the 2022 Fringe Festival.
How bad can things really get in just a couple of weeks though?
Well, As Chris Cagienard told the Scotsman, it is actually the aftermath of the strikes that could see the most problems for property owners and pest controllers alike.
“During any bin strike there tends to be lots of food on the streets for the pests and there is plenty to keep them fed. It’s when the strike ends and the clean-up happens that the rodent population needs to find somewhere else to go, into homes and businesses, and that’s when we would see an uplift. But pest numbers are on the rise anyway.”
We have been calling for more investment to be made towards anti-littering by public bodies and the Union’s representing waste workers across Scotland would argue that a failure to raise pay in alignment with their English counterparts is another example of this.
However, whilst this latest round of strike action is certainly a cause for concern, the situation has been at breaking point for some time now. We hope that this time around, the topic of litter doesn’t get swept under the carpet again once bin collections resume as without real and rapid changes to the way we dispose of waste, pest populations may soon reach the point of no return.
If you are living in one of the areas affected by the strikes and are concerned, simply following best practices of waste disposal will dramatically reduce the likelihood of falling foul to pest activity, and we have put together a guide to the top tips for protecting yourself from pests during bin strikes.
What are we doing to tackle litter problems?
We are growing fast as a business, but even the most optimistic among us knows we can’t take on the UK’s litter problem alone.
Earlier this year we launched our very own anti-littering campaign ‘Enough is Enough’ with our Glasgow team collecting 60 large bags of litter from a single day of litter picking on the streets surrounding our Seaward Place office.
We have held several more successful events in the months since and would encourage any business or individual to come along to our next event. We cover the whole of Scotland and Northern England and will be looking to hold litter picks in several other major towns and cities in the weeks, months, and years to come.
We see tackling litter as absolutely essential to our fundamental task of protecting public health and keeping pests under control and would be delighted to work with other businesses, Government groups, councils, and anyone else in a position of power in pursuit of that goal.
Thanks to a rise in resistance to pesticides and a population explosion, pest control has never been more difficult than it is today, and it is testament to the incredible talent and skill of our team that we are still able to deliver great results for all our clients.
If action isn’t taken, and taken soon, the problem will soon get out of control, and we all need to get involved if we want to turn the tide on trash.
If you have been affected by pest activity in your area or want to get involved in our next ‘Enough is Enough’ event, please get in touch with Pest Solutions and we will be delighted to help.
Arrange Professional Pest Control Now
If you have discovered a pest problem on your property, or suspect pest activity has been taking place, it is vital that you seek professional assistance as soon as possible. The longer you wait to act, the larger the population will grow and the higher the risk to your property and health.
Not only will our fantastic team of BPCA pest controllers implement a tried and tested plan to eliminate existing pest problems on your property, but they will also give you some top tips and advice on how to avoid a repeat situation in the future.
For a free quote or to arrange a visit from a local pest controller today, call Pest Solutions on 0800 027 2555.
