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'It's just nasty': Birmingham residents 'overwhelmed' by foul stench and massive rats as bins strike rumbles on

As the bin workers' strike continues, Sky's Lisa Dowd visits Birmingham and finds sympathy for those taking industrial action - even as the smell from piles of rotting rubbish was hard to take.

Lisa Dowd

Midlands correspondent

Wednesday 2 April 2025 23:29, UK

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Rat catcher tackling Birmingham's bins problem
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In parts of Birmingham, the stench is overwhelming - enough to make you heave.

At a block of flats in Highgate, in Birmingham city centre, we find a mountain of bin liners full of rubbish spewing out of the cavernous bin store, which is normally locked.

Mickel comes out to speak to us, while all around bin liners lie open, with the contents for all to see, including used nappies and rotting food.

Birmingham strike bin workers
Image: Mickel says they've had 'foxes and rats, literally the size of cats'
Outside Mickel's flat in Highgate, bin liners lie open, spewing out rubbish, including used nappies and rotting food
Image: Outside Mickel's flat in Highgate, bin liners lie open, spewing out rubbish

We both find it hard to keep talking amid the awful smell.

"We've had foxes and rats, literally the size of cats, flies, it's just nasty, something needs to be done," he says.

Birmingham
Birmingham
Image: Chris says the situation is 'overwhelming' as she's 'terrified of rats'

Around the corner, I meet Chris, in her dressing gown, popping the bins into her bin store beneath her flat before work.

She unlocks it, and although it isn't bursting out on to the street yet, it is getting full.

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She says the situation is "overwhelming" as she's "terrified of rats". But, even so, she has sympathy for the striking bin workers.

"It's not an easy job; they must have a heart of gold to do that job," she says.

"Pay them whatever they need, they deserve it."

Striking bin workers in Birmingham
Image: Striking bin workers at Lifford Lane tip, south of the city centre
a mountain of bin liners full of rubbish spewing out of the cavernous bin store, which is normally locked.
Image: There's an awful smell coming from a mountain of bin liners outside Mickel's flat in Highgate

At Lifford Lane tip, south of the city centre, Brigette has pulled up alongside picketing workers. The back seat of her car is full of rubbish.

She apologises for the terrible waft, mixed with air freshener.

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Read more:
Pest controllers 'feel like an emergency service'
Bin workers strike explained

"It's very pungent, isn't it? Not nice," she admits.

"It's unfortunate, I have some sympathies for all the parties, but, equally, we have a duty of care to stay clean and tidy."

She says she has her rubbish and that of her elderly aunt and plans to make weekly trips to the tip until a resolution in this pay dispute between the council and the Unite union is found.

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