| 08 September 2006
Super rats fuelled on a high-protein diet of discarded kebabs and chicken wings are threatening public health, according to Keep Britain Tidy.
The litter pressure group said abnormally fat rats were feeding off growing levels of fast food waste – which has increased by 450 per cent since 2001.
'Food litter is a big problem on our streets. It looks a mess and attracts pests, expanding the population of fat rats to 60 million,' said Alan Woods, chief executive of Keep Britain Tidy.
He added it wasn't just 'boozed-up revellers' chucking their chips away after a night out but high-earners dropping their fruit peelings and leftovers.
The British Pest Control Association said rats were getting more energy and living longer because their diet of discarded food was more protein-based.
A new survey by Keep Britain Tidy shows that 25 per cent of people admit to dropping food rubbish. Only 12 per cent of people living in the midlands own up to it but 40 per cent of people living in the east of England admit to littering.
Keep Britain Tidy will be running adverts in cinemas. It has also teamed up with twelve local councils to change people's behaviour by displaying posters depicting scavenging rats.
'With seven-out-of-ten items of litter being food-related we really need to see a change in people's dirty habits. Whether you are a lazy lout who litters because you can't be bothered to use a bin or chuck bits of food because they biodegrade you must stop,' said Mr Woods.
The government estimates that it cost taxpayers in England £415m a year to keep the streets clean.
'Cleaning our streets costs millions of pounds each year and it's the taxpayer who foots the bill,' said environment minister, Ben Bradshaw. 'Binning your litter protects the environment and saves money on your council tax bill. You can now be fined on the spot up to £80 for failing to do so.'
Keep Britain Tidy is run by independent charity Encams.
© 2006 Chartered Institute of Environmental Health
|
