Residents of a Cardiff apartment block are fed up of a growing pile of waste outside their building that’s attracting rats, seagulls and swarms of flies.
People living at Cwrt Coles in Tremorfa told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) about the problems they face with litter, rubbish and other waste that has been left to sit outside their flats. One resident said the rubbish has not been collected for around 10 weeks, although others said it could be four weeks, which is still around a month of uncollected waste.
Residents describe 'surreal' conditions
David Power, who lives in a flat next to the waste pile, said he has seen the waste attract cats, dogs, rats and seagulls to the estate. Multiple residents confirmed to the LDRS that they can often smell the waste pile from their flats.
Speaking about the conditions at the site, David said: “There’s more files than ever this summer than there’s ever been. Maybe that’s the hot weather but I think it’s the bins.”
The Tremorfa resident also said that the issue has been going on for “a long time now” and that there aren’t enough bins for the flat block so residents end up having to pile rubbish on top of them.
Residents report flies and rats
Another resident, Marcy Webbe, said: “We have more flies in the flat and I think it’s because they’re coming from the bins. They’re able to get in through the windows and there’s just so many more flies.”
She added, when talking about taking the bins out, that she can hear rats “scurrying” around the pile. Marcy said: “I’ll stay about a foot away when I’m throwing something because I need to get rid of the rubbish but I feel awful contributing to it.”
Locals also said that seagulls attracted to the rubbish are picking it up and spreading it around the nearby streets.
Residents demand action
Sudha Talluru, another resident of the block, said: “You can’t approach the rubbish area because there are lots of seagulls surrounding it and they just distribute the rubbish everywhere. [The rubbish is] just literally on the streets and pathways and everywhere.”
Marcy added: “[The seagulls left] a load of food on top of my car the other day, there was like a load of rotten tomatoes or something.”
Brandon Price said: “With how bad it’s become now, it seems surreal.” He continued that it has got to a point where it doesn’t seem like the type of thing that should be happening, not just in Cardiff but in the UK as a whole.
Sudha said that she has reported the issue to FirstPort, the management company for Cwrt Coles but nothing has been done. She said: “You just feel like you’re living next to a dump yard. I never imagined this would happen in Cardiff.” However, she also said that Cardiff Council has collected glass and recycling waste but general waste had been left.
Council and management company respond
A spokesperson for FirstPort said: “We share residents’ concerns regarding the build up of rubbish at the bin stores at Cwrt Coles which is the result of non-residents disposing of their refuse at the site. The waste facilities are provided for the exclusive use of residents of the block and clear signage is in place to reflect this. However, additional waste is regularly deposited at the bin stores, placing increased pressure on the available facilities. We have repeatedly arranged for the excess waste to be removed from the site. To help maintain a clean and safe environment, a pest control contractor attends the site on a monthly basis and regular inspections are carried out. We continue to monitor the situation closely and are working with the local authority to address this issue and support longer-term improvements to the waste management arrangements at the development.”
A Cardiff Council spokesperson said: ” Recycling and glass collections at Cwrt Coles continue to be carried out as scheduled. However, the ongoing accumulation of general waste around the communal bins has created significant access issues, preventing crews from safely completing residual waste collections. Our crews have repeatedly encountered unacceptable conditions at the site, including human and dog faeces on bin handles, open nappies and loose waste deposited around the containers. These conditions present serious health and safety risks for operational staff. This issue has been investigated previously, and a full clearance of the site was undertaken before Christmas, allowing normal collections to resume. However, the continued build-up of excess waste has once again obstructed access to the bins and prevented collections from being carried out safely. We will be working with the property management company, managing agents and residents to improve waste presentation through education and engagement. If the issues persist, appropriate enforcement action will be considered to ensure waste is presented correctly and collections can continue safely and effectively.”
