The city of Birmingham in the United Kingdom is facing a severe waste management crisis that residents say is turning it into a “third world city.” A strike by sanitation workers, unhappy with pay and job cuts, has led to mountains of waste piling up on the city’s streets.
The situation has worsened significantly as temperatures rise. Experts warn that the warm, dry conditions are ideal for the rapid breeding of rats, which have already been reported to be " the size of a cat " by worried residents.
According to Dr. Elizabeth Sheridan, an infectious disease expert, the increase in rat populations could increase the risk of Leptospirosis ( also known as Weil's disease ), which is transmitted through the urine of infected animals such as rats, dogs and pigs. She noted that people are often unaware when they come into contact with infected urine, which can happen even by touching garbage bags.
From 2020 to 2023, England had an average of 57 confirmed and 89 suspected cases of Leptospirosis per year. Experts warn that a wider outbreak of the disease could be fatal for some individuals.
Sutton Coldfield-based Hullternative Pest Control has reported a 70 to 80 percent increase in calls for rodent control services and has tripled orders for rat poison since the strike began on March 11. Manager Martin Hull described the situation as an "open well" for rodents, saying the abundance of food makes poisons ineffective.
Residents are desperate. Emil Laursen, a father of two, said: "We are rapidly turning into a third world city. The situation is chaotic in the truest sense of the word . "
Meanwhile, former landfill manager Mazar Dad warned that cleaning up the city could take " months . "
Birmingham City Council has declared a state of emergency due to the risk this crisis poses to public health and the environment.
Council leader John Cotton stressed that urgent intervention is necessary to improve the situation, although he respects the right to strike, as the city is on the verge of an environmental and health disaster if urgent measures are not taken. (A2 Televizion)
