A plan to make wheelie bins compulsory in Hamilton should be considered for the entire country, an environmental health specialist said yesterday.

Armell Thomas, the senior Environmental Health Officer, added: “I think that trash should not be picked up if it is not in a bin.”

Mr Thomas said that rubbish that was not disposed of properly led to an increase in the rat population.

He added: “We get calls every day, our phones are always ringing.”

Mr Thomas said a breeding pair of rats could create 15,000 offspring in a year and that, although rodent-control staff had introduced new programmes and increased their workload to control the pests, the public had to play its part.

He added: “We can’t control behaviour. We are doing our part and we will continue to do our part.”

Mr Thomas said restaurants, gardens and shared trash disposal areas were all areas of concern.

A team of 20, including a special garden team, set up last year, is laying poison in high-risk areas such as drains and gardens.

Mr Thomas said a new bait, ContraPest, which sterilises rats, could cause a massive reduction in their numbers.

The garden programme will be carried out across the country in the next six to eight weeks.

Mr Thomas said: “We did a study on one of the islands in Bermuda and we did very well so we are implementing it into the gardens in Bermuda.”

He warned that rodents could carry potentially deadly diseases such as salmonella and Lyme disease.

He said: “It’s easy for us to send people to court but it’s very important to educate.

Mr Thomas added that people should also be aware that feeding cats and pigeons also attracted rodents.

He said: “We are not against them but they should understand if you are going to do that then you are going to have rodents. I just want to remind the public that it is important to help us. Look around your property and see what you can do.”

Mr Thomas pointed out that his department had several effective products to help get rid of rats.

He said the rodent control department assessed situations when called out and recommended appropriate measures.

The majority of rat poisons are free, but people can purchase reusable bait boxes for $15 each.

The ContraPest boxes will also be sold to the public in the next three to four months.

Tracy Woolridge, the foreman at the department, added: “People’s behaviour is creating a lot of problems.”

Many people put out their trash before or after the pick-up days, which attracts rodents.

Mr Woolridge said: “Rats need food, shelter and water so they will look for that wherever they go.”

He pointed out that cats and birds could also get into refuse that was not secure.

He said people should trim trees because rats nested in them and also ate fruit, while farmers should avoid excess planting, which meant extra produce in storage, which was a magnet for rodents.

Rats often come in contact with chicken eggs, which can result in diseases being passed on to people. Rats also get into horse feed and can pass on diseases to them.

Rats can also spread diseases by urinating on canned food and bottles stored in warehouses.

Mr Woolridge said people who have birds should keep their environment clean because bird feed also attracted rodents.

He explained: “People throw the leftover food on the grass thinking they are feeding birds, but they are actually attracting rats.

“You keep doing that, then rats are going to come camp in your yard.”

People who need help to get rid of rodents should call the department at 278 5397.