Question

CEF 11 2024 Rodent Controls and Waste Management

What is the government doing right now to address the growing rodent population? Whilst constituents acknowledge that there is a lot of grass at the moment, which encourages rodent numbers, the roads really are disgusting at present. Driving the NASA Straight increasingly involves swerving to avoid one rat, only to immediately swerve the other way because there’s another carcass just meters ahead. It’s inevitable that you end up driving over one somewhere and it’s not pleasant if you need to change your tyre later.

During these cooler months, many members of the community take to the roads for walking, running and cycling. Constituents have reported of seeing hundreds of rats on their walks. There are also reports of rats nibbling through fly screens to enter properties and getting through open windows.

I have been informed that AIG used to pick up roadkill and arrange incineration, why does this no longer happen?

Constituents have reported of seeing hundreds of rats at the one boat dump. Is all island waste now being processed through the incinerator?

What measures does the environmental health team have in place to try and curb the increase in rat numbers of late? Is there a strategic approach?

AIG Response

This response is split into two parts, firstly providing information on the AIG’s work on rodent control and then outlining the government’s work and approach to waste management.

The Environmental Health (EH) team’s work on rodent control is part of a larger set of responsibilities. The EH budget was increased this financial year to ensure stocks of rodenticide keep up with the fluctuations in rodent populations.

EH resources are focussed on supressing the rodent population in the areas identified as being of a higher priority (i.e. residential areas and workplaces). Recruitment for a replacement member of the EH team is underway, but Conservation interns and other members of the Directorate are being deployed to the EH team to increase staff resources.

The AIG recognises the impact that heavier seasonal rains have in increasing invasive vegetation which leads to temporal booms in the rodent population. As a proactive measure the AIG Conservation and Fisheries Directorate secured programme funding through the UK government’s Darwin Initiative to engage pest control experts to produce a feasibility study for non-native species eradication.

In January 2024, as part of the Darwin funded project (DPL00037 Can Ascension be predator free?), expert consultants from the Wildlife Management International Limited (WMIL) visited Ascension to assess the feasibility of eradicating non-native species from Ascension and to also recommend improved methods for adaptive control. On Ascension, WMIL met Councillors to discuss concerns and present initial findings.

Following advice from WMIL, the AIG has focussed its strategic approach on baiting efforts in residential areas and work places as a matter of public health. An increased number of bait boxes containing rodenticide have been deployed and a grid-based approach will be adopted in the future to increase baiting effectiveness. Targeting roads, including the NASA Straight still occurs, but is a lower priority given the surrounding rodent population source. Removal of road kill is still carried out on a regular basis, but that is also afforded a lower priority than control efforts.

A feasibility report was drafted by WMIL and is in the process of being finalised with the AIG’s input. Once completed this can be made available to Council. The AIG encourages Council involvement in the review process. Following review of the report and recommendations from WMIL, further external funding may be sought to implement changes that may further improve efficiency and effectiveness of the AIG’s rodent control.

In respect of management of island waste and the landfill site at One Boat, during the early part of 2024, The AIG have made good progress in reducing the amount of waste sent to landfill. This should (in tandem with rodent control measures the EH team deploy at the site) have an impact on rodent numbers at the landfill site.

For example, food waste from the Combined Mess at the RAF Travellers Hill Base is now being collected by AIG for incineration. Also Mitie/DIO waste in Two Boats and Georgetown is now being processed via the AIG waste collection/incineration system. We are also working with Mitie on the phased introduction of their waste from Travellers Hill into the AIG waste collection/incineration system.
All this is part of a 10 point plan the AIG have developed to further improve matters. The plan, which was presented to the Public Works Committee in March 2024, consists of doing the following before April 2025:

1. Work with Mitie so they achieve sending their Travellers Hill waste to the incinerator. This alone would reduce food waste normally going to the landfill site to negligible volumes.
2. Hold a public Information campaign to raise awareness of importance of recycling.
3. Via mechanical means, clear invasive species around the perimeter of the One Boat landfill site with the additional objective of both improving visual impact and reducing cover options for rodents.
4. Secure the landfill site gates and make access by appointment only via the waste management team (but with set regular opening times for public access).
5. Ensure current stockpiles of non-recyclable waste are buried in as small an area as possible with that area fenced off and clearly demarcated.
6. Improve hazardous waste management controls.
7. Create a household recycling drop off point close to the road, but within the site’s perimeter.
8. Ensure items that cannot be recycled or incinerated are buried once per month.
9. Repair the perimeter fence.
10. By March 2025, aim to eliminate regular open pit burning, unless exceptional circumstances apply.

Some of these measures are dependent on a successful application for funds from the FCDO’s International Programme. The AIG expect to have news about the funding that will be available in FY 2024/25 in the next few weeks.

Councillor Worthington

Submitted: 11 July 2024

Response: 15 July 2024