Seagull scourge may end as Grundon launches scavenger-proof waste bags
The unsightly spectacle of seagulls scavenging through refuse bags may soon be over following Bristol waste management firm Grundon’s introduction of beak-proof sacks to the city.
Believed to be the first of their kind available in Bristol, the heavy-duty bags are large enough to fit 10 general waste bags inside and are completely safe from penetration by vermin.
Typically used by pubs or restaurants and fitted with lids and straps to keep vermin out, the bags will be offered for free to new Grundon customers.
John Phelps, operations manager at Grundon Waste Management, said: “We know how much of a problem seagulls destroying bin bags can be – it’s unsightly, unhygienic and has knock-on effects on encouraging other vermin.
“We also know for businesses that are open late, for example, there’s a historic issue with bags getting abused and mistreated. Our drivers often have to clean up after these pests – they sometimes spend as much time sweeping up waste as they do collecting it.
“So we hope these bags are going to offer a solution to the problem. They’re strong, aesthetically pleasing and easy to manage. We think we’re the first waste management company in Bristol to offer them and we hope they’ll be popular.”
Grundon’s new seagull-proof refuse sacks are made of hessian with a plastic lining and, at a capacity of 250 litres, are large enough to fit 10 regular small bags inside them.
Phelps said that such bags were already proving popular in coastal areas like Cornwall. Bristol, although a major city, is close to the sea with just five miles separating the middle of town from the Bristol Channel, as the seagull flies.
“People don’t tend to see what we see,” he said. “We’re up early collecting these bags from businesses all over the city and it can be a real mess, with gulls and even rats to deal with.
“We work closely with enforcement officers at the city council to tackle sites which are proving a problem. So by the time most people are up, the streets are clean – even our business customers don’t realise what we’ve been up to.
“There’s also a safety issue for our drivers, as rats carry Weil’s Disease in their urine which can be dangerous and even fatal. So it’s in everyone’s interest to minimise this issue.”
The new bags are the latest environmentally-friendly measure to be introduced into Bristol by Grundon, which set up a new depot in the city just over a year ago.
Last month it launched its first electrically-powered refuse lorry in the city and the company plans to convert its remaining fleet to eco-friendly fuel over the coming months.
