Rubbish Piles High in Student Areas
Streets in Birmingham have been left in an 'obscene' state as thousands of students departed the city for the summer break. Rubbish was seen piled high around wheelie bins outside rows of properties on roads surrounding the University of Birmingham (UoB) in Selly Oak and Bournbrook.
Clothes dryers, chairs, and shoe racks were among the items dumped among overflowing black bin bags as residents cleared out their student lets. The piles of filth sparked fury among permanent residents, with one branding it 'utterly obscene.'
Residents Demand Action
Dani Shaw urged Birmingham City Council to take action as the summer heat exacerbated the problem. She wrote to the authority on X, formerly Twitter, saying: '@BhamCityCouncil is there any chance you can organise rubbish collection from Selly Oak? What exactly is going on here? We have kids at uni living here and this is completely unacceptable.'
She added: 'Bournbrook Road and Luton Roads near the university. It’s extremely disturbing to see this level of filth. Added to this the heat makes it even worse. People are using recycling bins for the trash too and not collecting it at all. Please do something. This is appalling.'
Another resident, Henry, also posted to X: 'The rubbish down Selly Oak streets as students move out for the summer is utterly obscene. Never witnessed it in person until today. The universities should really be taking responsibility for the clean up.'
University Response
The University of Birmingham, along with the Guild of Students, said it worked with students to be 'good neighbours throughout the year, including moving in and out of private accommodation.' A university spokesperson said: 'We provide them with information and advice about considering their neighbours and their environment, and we run a donation scheme each year for unwanted clothes, books, and household items.'
'Last year alone, the Junkbusters donation scheme raised over £33,000 for local charitable partners. We have also been working closely with the council to arrange extra waste collections, more frequent emptying of central recycling stores, and fly tipping removal.'
The spokesperson added: 'We are committed to working with students, landlords, and the local authority, and will continue to promote the importance of keeping our neighbourhoods clean and safe.'
Council Contacted
BirminghamLive contacted Birmingham City Council for comment regarding the rubbish issues and potential additional measures to address the problem.
