During the Covid-19 lockdown, many people talked about noticing their environment more thanks to the change of pace in daily life. This extended to a greater awareness of the sight of flowers and trees or the sound of birdsong. But for many building owners and tenants in urban areas, it’s other aspects of bird behaviour which can be uppermost on their minds. In particular, pigeons can cause problems with their droppings. As well as damage to buildings, pigeon guano can have serious health consequences. In this blog, we’re going to look more closely at the problem, and how our pigeon guano clearance service can help.
The scale of the problem
In urban spaces, pigeons are a fact of life. Flocks of urban pigeons grow according to the amount of food available to them. Whether they are being fed deliberately or scavenging food, pigeons are voracious feeders. Usually, urban pigeons breed three times per year, although if their food sources increase, this can rise to six times each year. This can quickly grow flocks to unmanageable sizes, and many local councils in the UK attempt to control flock size through culling. However, culling pigeons can create a perverse problem, as each bird in a smaller flock has access to more food and may then breed more. Therefore, general street cleaning in urban areas is obviously a crucial element to keeping pigeon numbers in check.
But there are more serious problems associated with urban pigeons. Left unchecked, pigeon guano and other bird droppings present a genuine risk to health. There are potentially fatal consequences through inhalation of associated fungus. Diseases such as psittacosis can affect particular groups of workers, including those on construction sites. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has more information about some of the health risks involved. For property owners and tenants, there are also risks to the fabric of their buildings, as bird droppings are highly corrosive. They can cause significant structural and exterior damage to buildings.
Removing the mess, preventing its return
Our pigeon guano clearance service provides the cure, as well as implementing preventive measures to stop the problem occurring again. Our specialist teams are available 24/7 to undertake comprehensive cleaning of affected areas. This includes the application of specialist treatments ensuring all bacteria and fungus is entirely eradicated. We’ll take every possible step to ensure the safety of the public throughout this process, given the health risks involved. And of course, we ensure the health of our own workers throughout, with the use of appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE).
In terms of preventive measures, we can provide solutions to stop birdlife congregating in high numbers on buildings. This can include working with hospitality businesses to ensure they have better cleaning and clearing protocols in place so there is less waste food available. All businesses should look at their bins to ensure they are bird-proof, and where possible they should increase the number of collections of their rubbish. And we can advise on the best use of physical pigeon repellent devices, such as spikes, ultrasound emitters or bird decoys. That way, building owners and their tenants can avoid the build-up of bird droppings before it becomes a problem. And we can all get back to appreciating the natural world around us, with fewer pests.
Contact one of the team today to find out more about our pigeon guano clearance service.
Telephone: 01283 550 503
Email: info@reactplc.co.uk
Website: www.reactsc.co.uk
Post by Shaun D. Doak
Shaun is the CEO of React Group plc., a business dedicated to specialist cleaning, hygiene and decontamination. He is deeply committed to making sure that every one of our company’s clients receives the highest possible level of service. An expert in HVAC and commercial and industrial cleaning methodologies, Shaun has extensive experience in the facilities management and renewable services sector.