Untidy Brits creating super rats
25th August 2006
Rats are getting bigger, more active and living longer. There are now around 60 million rats in Britain - one for each person.
A national charity has warned that 15 million people across the country are helping to create a new breed of "super rats" by discarding left-over fast food in the street.
Keep Britain Tidy is kicking off a major new litter campaign by revealing burgers, chips and kebabs left on the nation's roads are creating bigger rats who have more energy and a longer life span.
Experts said that despite their increased size the rats have the ability to squeeze through a gap of just over one centimetre, making it easy for them to get into our homes.
Littering
However, the charity said it's not only young fast food fans who are to blame. In research revealed today high earners, who wouldn't normally dream of littering, have admitted to ditching food remains one the street adding to the country's rat plague.
The new campaign will feature cinema adverts across the country depicting a couple cosying up in bed together with a hoard of rats crawling across them.
Alan Woods, chief executive of Keep Britain Tidy, said: "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.
"People think it's only boozed-up revellers chucking their chips and burgers after a heavy night out that is causing rats to come out of the sewers and roam the streets, others are also doing their bit to scruffy our streets by dropping their fruit peelings and left-over lunches."
Environment Minister, Ben Bradshaw, added: "Cleaning our streets costs millions of pounds each year and it's the taxpayer who foots the bill.
Bin it
"Binning your litter protects the environment and saves money on your council tax bill. You can now also be fined on the spot up to £80 for failing to do so."
The charity said people who think they are doing a good deed by throwing fruit peelings onto the ground or feeding crusts to the birds are actually doing more harm than good.
Most gets dropped on pavements at lunchtime, the food then breaks down on the concrete rather than into soil leaving a dirty stain and a mushy meal for vermin.
Research revealed other culprits are drink-loving young people who, after a night of partying, are drawn to the local kebab house or burger bars and then are too lazy to bin the rest. In the poll 45 per cent of 16 to 24-year-olds admitted dumping their fast food.
Keep Britain Tidy has now teamed up with twelve councils in England to hammer home the litter message. Each council will be displaying posters with scavenging rodents writhing over rubbish.
Plus, takeaways and shops will also be doing their bit by reminding the public through posters that litter bins are "open all hours".
Mr Woods said: "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.
The only place your litter belongs is in the bin."
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Here's what readers have had to say so far.
I love England and would like to see it become as clean as many other European cities I have been to. The citizens (and tourists) need to respect their country and be proud of it, not fill it with rubbish.
- Ruthie, Hollywood, CA
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Unfortunately this country is fast becoming like the US. Its sometimes cheaper to buy take-away fast foods than it is to cook at home ...If these fast foods became much more expensive instead of the cheap prices that they are there wouldn't be as much rubbish and litter caused because people wouldn't buy them.
- Hayley Mcnulty, Luton,Bedfordshire
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If asked "what feature of Britain sticks in your mind" I would answer, without hesitation, "the litter". Brits live on a beautiful island but have absolutely no respect for it and treat it worse than a pig treats it's sty.
- Mike Randall, Worcester, England
dailymail.co.uk
25th August 2006
Rats are getting bigger, more active and living longer. There are now around 60 million rats in Britain - one for each person.
A national charity has warned that 15 million people across the country are helping to create a new breed of "super rats" by discarding left-over fast food in the street.
Keep Britain Tidy is kicking off a major new litter campaign by revealing burgers, chips and kebabs left on the nation's roads are creating bigger rats who have more energy and a longer life span.
Experts said that despite their increased size the rats have the ability to squeeze through a gap of just over one centimetre, making it easy for them to get into our homes.
Littering
However, the charity said it's not only young fast food fans who are to blame. In research revealed today high earners, who wouldn't normally dream of littering, have admitted to ditching food remains one the street adding to the country's rat plague.
The new campaign will feature cinema adverts across the country depicting a couple cosying up in bed together with a hoard of rats crawling across them.
Alan Woods, chief executive of Keep Britain Tidy, said: "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.
"People think it's only boozed-up revellers chucking their chips and burgers after a heavy night out that is causing rats to come out of the sewers and roam the streets, others are also doing their bit to scruffy our streets by dropping their fruit peelings and left-over lunches."
Environment Minister, Ben Bradshaw, added: "Cleaning our streets costs millions of pounds each year and it's the taxpayer who foots the bill.
Bin it
"Binning your litter protects the environment and saves money on your council tax bill. You can now also be fined on the spot up to £80 for failing to do so."
The charity said people who think they are doing a good deed by throwing fruit peelings onto the ground or feeding crusts to the birds are actually doing more harm than good.
Most gets dropped on pavements at lunchtime, the food then breaks down on the concrete rather than into soil leaving a dirty stain and a mushy meal for vermin.
Research revealed other culprits are drink-loving young people who, after a night of partying, are drawn to the local kebab house or burger bars and then are too lazy to bin the rest. In the poll 45 per cent of 16 to 24-year-olds admitted dumping their fast food.
Keep Britain Tidy has now teamed up with twelve councils in England to hammer home the litter message. Each council will be displaying posters with scavenging rodents writhing over rubbish.
Plus, takeaways and shops will also be doing their bit by reminding the public through posters that litter bins are "open all hours".
Mr Woods said: "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.
The only place your litter belongs is in the bin."
----------------------------------------------------------------
Here's what readers have had to say so far.
I love England and would like to see it become as clean as many other European cities I have been to. The citizens (and tourists) need to respect their country and be proud of it, not fill it with rubbish.
- Ruthie, Hollywood, CA
---------------------------
Unfortunately this country is fast becoming like the US. Its sometimes cheaper to buy take-away fast foods than it is to cook at home ...If these fast foods became much more expensive instead of the cheap prices that they are there wouldn't be as much rubbish and litter caused because people wouldn't buy them.
- Hayley Mcnulty, Luton,Bedfordshire
-----------------------------------
If asked "what feature of Britain sticks in your mind" I would answer, without hesitation, "the litter". Brits live on a beautiful island but have absolutely no respect for it and treat it worse than a pig treats it's sty.
- Mike Randall, Worcester, England
dailymail.co.uk