David Richardson next to the overflowing bins. (Image: Newsquest/SWNS)
David Richardson, 64, has found himself battling a rodent invasion after Glasgow City Council’s bin collection services ground to a halt since mid-December, leaving him and his neighbours surrounded by decomposing waste and unwelcome furry visitors.
Describing the situation, David said, “I have seen multiple big rats, about a foot long as well. There is an infestation.
“There was a large one that got stuck in a hole in the bin. I had to cover it in oil and shove it through while wearing a rubber glove just to get it out because I didn’t want to kill it.”
Lamenting the daily struggle, he added, “That shouldn’t be down to me to deal with, it isn’t my job. It could be dangerous if it bites anyone.”
David and his neighbours have now become “depressed” by the sight of the piles of rubbish and are demanding urgent action to be taken.
“There are also rat holes appearing every day, it is so depressing to look at. I don’t want to wake up and see that,” David said.
“Me and a lot of the other residents are very unhappy about this, we want urgent action taken.”
David has begun keeping his rubbish indoors, as have many of his neighbours, in efforts to avoid adding to the piles of waste outside.
“I don’t want to go out to the bin area at all anymore, I now keep my rubbish inside and take little bags out to public bins when I can,” he said.
“I know my neighbours are doing the same thing because we can’t add any more rubbish outside.”
Residents have also raised concerns about potential fire hazards and a rodent-friendly environment.
“Someone could throw a cigarette out the back and it would ignite the whole place, there is so much cardboard and we don’t know what else,” David said.
“It doesn’t feel safe, it has become absolutely ridiculous.
“I don’t know how widespread this problem is. I’m assuming the council has got a big backlog, but I can’t imagine where it is worse than here.
“I have lived all over Europe and I have never seen rubbish left like this before.”
In response to the crisis, a Glasgow City Council spokesman has extended an apology for the delay, largely blaming the festive season: “We are aware residents on Regent Moray Street are waiting on bin collections following the recent festive holidays.
“We are very sorry for any inconvenience this has caused but we are hopeful that collections in this area will be fully back to schedule very shortly.”
The spokesman further explained: “The four public holidays over Christmas and New Year do have an impact on the delivery of waste services at this time of year.
“The approach we have taken this year is to focus on clearing shared bin courts and bin stores for flatted properties as quickly as possible to try and minimise the overall impact of the loss of service as much as we can.”