The unsightly spectacle of seagulls ripping open refuse bags on Bristol’s streets and scavenging through the contents may soon be over following the introduction of beak-proof sacks in the city by waste management firm Grundon.
Believed to be the first of their kind available in Bristol, the heavy-duty sacks are large enough to fit 10 general waste bags inside.
They have already proved popular with pubs and restaurants in coastal areas like Cornwall.
The bags, which are fitted with lids and straps to keep vermin out, will now be offered for free to new Grundon customers in Bristol. Aesthetically, they also have the added benefit of being coloured in Bristol blue.
The move by Grundon, which set up a new Bristol depot just over a year ago, comes as the city council launches a new crackdown on litter in an attempt to clean up Bristol’s streets.
Grundon Waste Management operations manager John Phelps, pictured with a scavenger-proof bag, believes the new sacks, which are made of hessian with a plastic lining, may be one missing piece of the overnight cleanliness jigsaw.
“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,” he said.
“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.
“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.”
He said Grundon was already working closely with council enforcement officers to tackle problem sites.
“People don’t tend to see what we see,” he added. “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.
“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.
Last month it launched its first electrically powered refuse lorry in the city and plans to convert its remaining fleet to eco-friendly fuel over the coming months.
Grundon, which was founded in 1929, has reduced its carbon emissions by 80% since 2000 through a series of measures, including an ongoing energy self-sufficiency programme and investment in state-of-the-art technologies.
The Berkshire-headquartered firm works with customers across the South of England to provide a total waste management service for the reduction, reuse, recycling, recovering and disposal of waste.
