Recycling has brought rats to village claims woman
Ally McRoberts • Published 15 Jul 2011 08:20
38 Comments
A TORRYBURN woman is refusing to recycle food waste in her brown bin after claiming the scraps are attracting rats.
Anne MacFarlane, of The Ness, believes the vermin are attracted by the aroma of left-overs and veg peelings and pose a serious health risk.
The village was included in the four-bin pilot scheme by Fife Council - now being rolled out across the Kingdom - which involves putting food waste, along with garden rubbish, in the brown bins.
But Miss MacFarlane said, "I've lived in Torryburn for three years, it's a lovely place and until they tried the four-bin system I'd never seen a rat here.
"The brown bins have holes in the side for composting but it means the smell of the food waste is attracting them.
"They told me the waste goes in bio-degradable bags but the bin still smells and you can smell the food waste."
She continued, "Rats can breed every four weeks and our neighbour has trapped five baby rats over the past week.
"I've heard there were problems at Craigflower Gardens and in Valleyfield too.
"If they're going to roll this four-bin system out Fife-wide, have they taken all the steps to ensure there's no risk to public health?
"I'm all for recycling but I've had to stop with the food waste because of this."
Miss MacFarlane said she'd called out environmental health officers, who put down poison in the gardens of her and her neighbours but it didn't solve the problem.
She said, "The rats have been running about on the decking and they even come out during the day.
"There was one ran up the fence and took the food from the bird table, so I can't feed the birds any more either. I don't know if they can open a bin lid but they can certainly climb.
"My next door neighbour has little grandkids, she's scared to let them out, and I'm worried in case my dogs get bitten or pick up Weils disease from the rats.
"It could be they came down from the fields because of the harsh winter we had but I just feel it's too coincidental and, in any case, one rat is one too many."
Miss MacFarlane concluded, "Under freedom of information they've given me the total number of call-outs for vermin since 2007 in Fife but I've asked for specific information for Valleyfield and Torryburn, which are in the pilot areas, and they've refused."
Fife Council's environmental sustainability manager, Chris Ewing, said, "We've now got 40,000 households on that service and this is the first time a suggestion has been made about a connection between vermin and the type of bins that are out there.
"It's roughly two years since we started trialling the four-bin system and if this was going to be a problem we would probably have expected a number of complaints by now.
"I've also spoken to the pest control guys and there's nothing they're aware of about any connection.
"Our biggest concern was that it may attract flies so we asked an entomologist to investigate and he said there should be no risk of fly infestation.
"It didn't occur to us that there should be an increased risk of vermin and, for the moment, there's nothing I'm aware of that would make me change that view.
"If the bin lid is closed and the food waste is in the bio-bags there shouldn't be a problem."
As for the FOI requests, a council spokeswoman said, "We are currently reviewing Miss MacFarlane's application and she will receive a response by 21st July."
Have your say. Post a comment on this article.
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davey
Unregistered User
Jul 15, 09:05
Report commentThe 'cooncil' say they have consulted on this whole recycling issue- rubbish! They have insulted more like! Why should we recycle anything when we already pay the 'cooncil' vast ammounts of money to do this for us? Is there a reduction in 'cooncil' tax for taking part?
Why if you want to contact them is it so difficult, do they perhaps not like hearing the truth about their rubbish service?
Recommend?
Yes 9
No 14
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DB Resident
Unregistered User
Jul 15, 10:13
Report commentThe council want to treat us all like naughty school children. Well we pay them to carry out a service for us...it should be remembered that they serve us and not the other way round. they need reminded of than.
Recommend? Yes 11
No 11
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Mr L
Unregistered User
Jul 15, 12:46
Report commentRecycling should be looked at on a wider scale, perhaps the younger generation should punish the older for doing a great job of screwing up the planet for us.
Recycling not only helps the council meet government targets, of which they get fined if they do not meet, but it helps to save money around the house.
If residents sort waste for the council, which hardly takes any more time it can save money, which can be used for vital services rather than sorting through rubbish because some people cant be bothered walking to a bin.
Recommend? Yes 11
No 5
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Anne Macfarlane
Unregistered User
Jul 15, 17:40
Report commentHow can Fife Council say that they have no information relating to similar instances if they have failed to provide the actual figures relating to the call outs to vermin from 2007 to date in the pilot area. They managed to give me the fife-wide figures so why not the figures for the pilot area? Surely this would be something that was factored into the pilot area and something that would be top of the list to check. They have categorically refused to give me the actual figures and I can only assume that they have something to hide. How can Chris Ewing make such statements when the council can't provide me with the answers.... If they can't provide me with the answers then they sure as anything can't provide him! It's a whitewash and something the Council didn't even take into account when they thought of this scheme. I'm all for recycling but I refuse to put food waste into the brown bin until they come up with the figures. This has to be investigated thoroughly before the system gets rolled out across Fife. By then it may be too late...... Not a lot to ask I think??????? Additionally, why should residents be charged to have the council sort out any problems in this area when they can't be sure it's not their recycling system that's caused it?
Recommend? Yes 7
No 4
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Anne Macfarlane
Unregistered User
Jul 15, 17:51
Report commentI'm not opposed to recycling - far from it. I agree that we should all do our bit to recycle. We cannot however adopt a Wrecycle at any cost attitude" and disregard public health because we fail to reach our targets and will be fined. That mindset is just wrong and defeats the whole purpose. Recycling should NOT pose a risk to public health. By refusing to consider the risk to public health the Council may well be storing up even more problems for the future. The reason you have "pilot" areas is to gauge how successful any system will be. The normal course of events allows residents of the pilot area to give feedback and make suggestions. In this instance the Council has failed to provide a platform for feedback for all the residents in the pilot area. I found out about the Council's decision to roll out this scheme from a friend. I consider that to be wholly inappropriate and unacceptable. I have received no correspondence from the Council whereby I can comment on this recycling scheme and its effectiveness, or otherwise. If I had then this situation would have been highlighted a lot sooner. That aside, one has to ask why Fife Council are so reluctant to give the figures requested for the pilot area?
Recommend? Yes 6
No 4
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neils
Unregistered User
Jul 15, 18:05
Report commentwhat is wrong with you people? We have to get used to the fact that recycling has to be as automatic as brushing your teeth. I lived in Taipei for 3 years, and now they recycle and sort everything, so on bin day the amount of actual rubbish is almost zero. In other words we dont take up land to bury rubbish, which may never be recovered because it is too toxic. You say we pay the council to do this? I say a big no to that. What is wrong with taking some responsibility in your life? Or do you expect everyone to do something for you simply by paying money? I grew up in Inverkeithing, and nearby there was a landfill site, because you cant be bothered to sort your rubbish, what is your solution? buy up more areas of land simply to bury rubbish? This in an area that has recycling bins within walking distance of everyone. My parents still live in Inverkeithing, are in their 80s and even they make a point of recycling all their bottles, cans etc. (since they discovered Crabbies Ginger Beer thats a lot of bottles) If they can do that, why cant you?
Surely we should be paying the council to do more important things?
Recommend? Yes 21
No 3
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Ba Jazz
Unregistered User
Jul 15, 19:41
Report commentRats in Torryburn as a result or rubbish in bins?
Nonsense, rats have ALWAYS been there, your right next to the Forth and thats an open sewer!
neils, your wasting your time on these narrow minded numpties, all they can do is blame the council for all their woes and problems, its the councils fault for the rats, the snow, the gritting, the frost, the schools, the housing, the roads, the rubbish uplifts etc etc etc there is not a week goes by that the council don't get a slagging from 1) the Dunny press (what would they do to fill their pages if Fife Council didn't exist i wonder, how 'well' Dunny FC are doing?) 2) the whingers that think because they pay a few quid of 'council tax' that they are lords and masters over council workers with comments like ''Well we pay them to carry out a service for us...it should be remembered that they serve us and not the other way round they need reminded of that'' Eh, who are you like?
These are the Armchair warriors that couldn't organise a booze up in a pub and then complain when their bin isn't collected bang on time or their road still has a few inches of snow on it after the heaviest snowfall in 21 years after a day or 2!
Perhaps if they got out of the armchairs and get involved at a local lever (local council, community groups etc) they perhaps they might see its not as straighforward as they think but i don't hold my breath!
Recommend? Yes 17
No 6
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Scotbox
18 posts
Jul 15, 22:16
Report commentWe have been part of the 4 bin since last summer and it is great success!
Rats? Never seen any, flies - none.
Well done Fife Council and leta roll out glass recovery too, the icing on the cake!
Recommend? Yes 12
No 4
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******
Jul 16, 15:13
Report commentThis comment has been removed by a moderator
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felis
Unregistered User
Jul 16, 16:26
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nipper49
Unregistered User
Jul 16, 17:24
Report commentSurely a simple solution would be is to empty the bins on a more regular basis,oops that can't be done due to cuts being administrated by our SNP/FIB DEM run council.
Recommend? Yes 7
No 7
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Scotbox
18 posts
Jul 17, 15:53
Report commentNo need to empty more regylarly than they are under the 4 nins scheme.
The brown compost bin is huge - thats the only bin which SHOULD have food stuffs and garden waste in it.
The rest are "inert" if you recycle properly and aren't lazy about it.
Recommend? Yes 8
No 4
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Jimbo
Unregistered User
Jul 17, 18:08
Report commentSurely the Council included public health in its success criteria for this project. An element of that would be a simple measure of changes in the reported levels of vermin. Even a child would think of that.
Subsequently, they would keep a very simple register of before and after records of vermin reports and addresses. Easy peasy. The Council has several GIS systems and can log the physical locations.
They should be able to answer the complainants question in a day. It's not as if she's asking for individual addresses, just before and after numbers of ver05n re-6rts 5n the target area.
Too many people are getting confused that this story is about being for or against recycling. It's not. It's about introducing it in a proper and professional manner, and having appropriate controls in place throughout implementation.
There's a suggestion that Fife Council aren't up to the job, I admit.
Recommend? Yes 6
No 1
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Jimbo
Unregistered User
Jul 17, 18:10
Report commentFor 'ver05n re-6rts 5n' read 'vermin reports in' - hit my NumLock key in error :)
Recommend? Yes 0
No 0
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Liz Bayne
Unregistered User
Jul 17, 19:53
Report commentHow is the investigation going into the poor chap that expired whilst in a local police cell? Lets get real folks, important news first please. Press, any info?
Recommend? Yes 0
No 4
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Anne Macfarlane
Unregistered User
Jul 18, 10:33
Report commentI reiterate, this is NOT about recycling per se, it's about the fact that since the residents were asked to place food waste in our brown bins we have had instances of rats. That is fact and that is actually documented with Fife Council. I personally would have thought that this would have been factored into any "pilot" because it is very relevant. The council took the time to consult on flies - why not vermin? Why are they refusing to answer my questions and how can they answer the question presented by the Reporter when they are unable (they say) to answer mine? I am very much pro recycling so those that think otherwise are clearly not reading the comments I have made. I am not however the type of person that thinks recycling should go ahead at all costs - especially when it concerns a risk to human health.... I have since spoken with my wider neighbours and it would appear that they, too, have seen rats. I am asking merely that the Council provides evidence that this has not been highlighted as being a problem during the pilot exercise.... There is nothing wrong with that is there?????? Anybody who thinks these questions shouldn't be asked is, quite frankly, wearing a blindfold. Recycling is a huge money-making exercise to Councils and hence the reason everybody is being fooled into believing we are saving the planet. All the foil and plastics we recycle are sold for profit; all the compost we recycle is used for council properties and the leftovers will be sold - for profit and the paper we recycle is sold for profit. There is nothing about recycling that is altruistic when it comes to Councils. There is a lot of money to be made. All our recycling simply gets sold to a third party. This means that all our waste simply moves around - and is sometimes shipped to third world countries to be tossed on their rubbish dumps. In order to get there it uses diesel to fuel the boats etc., etc., So recycling, if kept within Fife, is a good idea but if it is shipped abroad then it defeats the whole purpose of recycling by using the actual fuel that causes harm to the planet to get the recycled rubbish to it's end point. I can't understand why some people can't see this. I am not about to sit back and allow the council to ride rough shod over me and force me to engage in a system that will bring vermin to my area. I live in a lovely village that has never suffered from this problem until these bins were introduced. I want the answers and I will not stop until I get them. Far better to ensure that it is NOT the food recycling that's causing this problem than to roll it out fife-wide and then have to deal with something far bigger. For those of you who don't seem to understand this - that is why you start with "pilot" areas to identify any problems. Please re-read the posts. Yes, there are other very important issues to highlight but just because you don't think this is relevant to you, doesnt mean we should "get real". I'm sure you will be one of the first people to complain if they roll out this system in your area and it attracts rats..... If you are not interested in this topic then you don't have to read it. End of story.
Recommend? Yes 2
No 8
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Jesus
Unregistered User
Jul 18, 15:29
Report commentPut two bricks on the lid! They'll soon move on, gee me piece min...
Recommend? Yes 4
No 3
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Captain Hook
Unregistered User
Jul 18, 17:27
Report commentLike someone already said, Torryburn is next to the Forth which is practically an open sewer, crikey, Kincardine has been 'plagued' with rats for years and its has nothing to do with their bins, its the fact that its right next to the River.
Remember your no more than 12 feet from a rat (so the saying goes) and if there is any building work (housing, roads etc) and the Rats nests are disturbed they will look for new places to reside.
Recommend? Yes 6
No 1
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Anne Macfarlane
Unregistered User
Jul 18, 20:47
Report commentThere's no point in discussing this because clearly some people have either (1) failed to read the article properly or (2) cannot read at all...... some of these comments border on the ridiculous and I, personally, am very concerned that rats have been discovered in our village when there were no rats visible PRIOR to the new food recycling system being introduced. You may be happy to live around these creatures but I can assure you that I, and my neighbours, are not. We never had a problem with rats previously and most of my neighbours have lived here for a very long time. It ain't no coincidence.... I'm sure there will be many more concerned people contacting the Council and The Press in the days to come. If I lived in Kincardine and somebody (who fails to give their name!) expressed an opinion that my area had been plagued by rats for years, I certainly wouldnt be very happy about it. If this is the case then the council need to do something there too. Adding yet another problem could make the situation explode. I'd also like to know what qualifies these respondents to make the statements they have - are they qualified biologists? I think not and therefore their statements are just conjecture...... A bit like what the council is saying at the moment - when they can't come up with the proof..... Beggars belief.
Recommend? Yes 5
No 6
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wee eck
Unregistered User
Jul 18, 21:06
Report commenttorryburns national dish is............... ratatouille.
Recommend? Yes 7
No 1
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Captain Hook
Unregistered User
Jul 18, 23:22
Report commentEasy there Anne, its called a 'discussion' not a one way rant from you.
Believe it of not we share this planet with all manner of creatures and living in the country (from choice) i am surrounded by all manner of beasties! Its not the rats in Torryburn you need to worry about, its some of the residents!
I know for a fact the the council have been fighting a losing battle in Kincardine with the rats for years, do you think the coucil have done nothing? Get real hen............ there are many reasons for the rat problem in Kincardine 1) Rats immunity to the poisons 2) constant food 'litter' strewing the streets (nothing to do with the food IN the bins i hasten to add) as thats an easy meal 3) the open sewer that is the River forth.
Tell me, where did your food waste go before? I know mine goes in the bin anyway...............
Recommend? Yes 10
No 3
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neils
Unregistered User
Jul 18, 23:58
Report commentnot being funny here, but if you live on the outskirts of a village in Fife. There are regular migrations of real animals that are not frozen chickens bought in Tescos.
All the land was country estates until recently.Thank god it is not now.
Just the other day, I was annoyed by seeing a deer, but delighted to see a cuddly dog romping in the woods.
Several solutions to this,1/ move into Fraser Avenue (I hear relatively rodent free, close to countryside. ) 2/If you live in such a place, expect the vagaries of nature, which might include gangs of rats who organise themselves in a spirit of cooperation to invade a village in the hope of overturning an enormous piece of plastic 200 times their height. 3/Im not a fan, or against the council. but there are are limits, I mean poisoning the land? 4/ Move to an urban area (again there are limits here, I was in Fulham the other day, and I saw a fox walking down the pavement. (christ knows what the Daily Mail would have thought of it) 5/ Seriously think about what you buy, and how you dispose of what you think is rubbish, if the rats are migrating then there is a reason for it, and its probably the vast amount of food that you throw away
Recommend? Yes 10
No 1
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midge
Unregistered User
Jul 20, 00:09
Report commentrats in villages due to victorian drain pipes collasping a few years ago they opened drains in centre of kincardine and were met with something from horror film pied piper would have needed bagpipes not flute to to lead them to river hopefully drowning them if council were to put a few gas bombs down that might help, just keep a ferret RATS HATE THEM AND STAY AWAY
Recommend? Yes 1
No 0
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UB40
Unregistered User
Jul 20, 01:11
Report commentDere's a rat in mi bucket what am a gonna do?
Dere's a rat in mi bucket what am a gonna do?
Am gonna fix dat rat dat's what am gonna do
Am gonna fix dat rat
Recommend? Yes 0
No 0
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A Nonny Mouse
Unregistered User
Jul 20, 11:08
Report commentAh, rats. This story seems to do the run around wherever councils try to introduce food recycling, with very little evidence of truth. I'm not saying that there Anne hasn't seen rats before, but is it really because of the food recycling or is it more because once you become aware of something and start looking for it, you see more of them? As others have said, given Torryburn's location it's quite possible that there have been rats there before - it's just that nobody was looking for them, or was aware of their existance.
One thing I'd ask though - is there some other reason? Is there a neighbour who has an open compost heap which is attracting them? Has a nest been disturbed, possibly by a farmer or by the demolition or reconstruction of a building? The fact that other rural areas in Fife who have this system haven't been affected would suggest that - assuming there is a problem - any problem is specific to Torryburn.
On the FoI figures - the reason why the Council might not have released the figures could be fairly simple. It might be that they don't have them - for example, if the figures are only maintained on a Fife-wide basis - or that in releasing the figures, even in a raw form, there might be a risk that the persons who reported the problems could be identified.
Anne - on your specific points about the council selling recycling - what would you propose they do with it? The money which the council raises from the sales goes into the council coffers, allowing it to be spent by the council. Now, you might not agree with what the council spends its money on - and that's a legitimate point of argument - but do you not think that the council should be able to use the money it raises from stuff people throw away?
Recommend? Yes 8
No 0
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NooNoo
Unregistered User
Jul 20, 12:57
Report commentAll that is going into the brown bins is what people put into compost bins, which are often open and with no bags. If veg peelings attract vermin surely gardens across the country would be infested by vermin, as composting is very popular?
Recommend? Yes 6
No 0
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neils
Unregistered User
Jul 21, 00:49
Report commenta nonny mouse, very sensible comments
Could be a nearby development, quite possibly the fashion of putting up decking in rural areas (think about it) In an area where rats, not humans normally live. I could be wrong but I doubt that composting waste (something we have done for hundreds of years) in a hygienic way could cause this problem.
Anne, I hate rats as well, and sympathise with you, but like we are plagued with seagulls, in such a way that they are even in the Ochils. Then they must have a food supply without predetors.
I reiterate when I lived in Taipei (and indeed Austria now) we had almost no compostable rubbish, the culture was simply that food was too precious to throw away (memories of starvation probably bring clarity of thought) both are now two of the most prosperous countries in the world.
Maybe the new bins are the reason for your problem, I doubt it very much, but like tigers killing people in India its probably more to do with you either encroaching on their land, or disturbing their nests (have you put up decking? a patio? etc) seriously I am not having a go at you, but I cant see why the council can"t help you out any more than suggesting you get a cat
Recommend? Yes 7
No 0
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Gee Doc
Unregistered User
Jul 21, 09:17
Report commentHow dare any of you even think of disagreeing with Anne MacFarlane....She is right,she says so and she should know.She and She alone blames the Cooncil..not original;one knows...BUT anyone who can use the Press to blame the Cooncil for anything,must be right.So enuf of this open debate nonesense,
Recommend? Yes 1
No 1
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Cobb
Unregistered User
Jul 21, 14:04
Report commentWhy do Fife council concentrate so much on recycling biogradable like grass cuttings, food etc. Would it not be better to have bins for metal, plastics, glass etc? Which can be recycled. Just a suggestion!
Recommend? Yes 2
No 1
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Captain Hook
Unregistered User
Jul 21, 16:36
Report commentErm, Cobb its not the council's job to spoon feed you with umpteen bins to recycle your waste, the bleats of 'Nanny state' are echoing around my head if they did that and guaranteed the same 'usual suspects' would be on here whinging about the amount of wheelie bins cluttering the outside of their houses/flats etc
They (the cooncil) leave some of it for you to do, recycling points, (i'm sure even you have seem them dotted about the place) and at the munucipal sites there are all manner of skips to put EVERYTHING into.
Just a suggestion!
Recommend? Yes 4
No 1
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rattus norvegicus
Unregistered User
Jul 21, 17:15
Report commentrats favourite game------hide and squeak
Recommend? Yes 0
No 1
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Dunfermline dweller
Unregistered User
Jul 21, 17:47
Report commentAre the bins emptied each week? Here is an unpleasant story about rats and rubbish collections:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2017196/Bedbound-pensioner-dies-gnawed-rats-scrapping-weekly-bin-collection-leads-rodent-infestation.html
Recommend? Yes 1
No 1
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jan the man
Unregistered User
Jul 21, 18:44
Report commentso--where does your food waste go now then
Recommend? Yes 0
No 1
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jimmy cagney
Unregistered User
Jul 21, 21:57
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bagpuss
Unregistered User
Jul 22, 09:42
Report commentThe best solution is to bag up the food waste in bags provided and keep them in the freezer till pickup day. Simple.
I use the freezer box in the fridge as I don't have a freezer.
Recommend? Yes 0
No 1
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******
Jul 23, 11:23
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******
Jul 24, 14:20
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******
Jul 24, 23:01
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Hooks Mate
Unregistered User
Jul 25, 10:20
Report commentAww, that was a reply too!
P.S. Dun press, how come the good posts are removed and the crap inanae rubbish is left? And i mean page after page of just..........well ramblings?
Recommend? Yes 0
No 0
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Hooks Mate
Unregistered User
Jul 25, 15:57
Report commentAww, that was a reply too!
P.S. Dun press, how come the good posts are removed and the crap inanae rubbish is left? And i mean page after page of just..........well ramblings?
Recommend? Yes 0
No 0
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Hooks Mate
Unregistered User
Jul 25, 15:59
Report commentTwice i've tried to put GOOD in the 'that was a reply too!' to no avail, does the Dunfy press no like the work good?
Recommend? Yes 0
No 0
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Roland
Unregistered User
Jul 25, 23:03
Report commentWe have been part of the recycle pilot too in our village which neighbours Torryburn for what seems like forever. Also situated on the river but do not have a rat problem. So there you go, one incidence of rats, one incidence of no rats. As the saying goes, one swallow does not a summer make...
Come back when the rest of the survey's conducted eh?
Recommend? Yes 3
No 0
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