Amid an ongoing bin strike, the Bordesley Green area of Birmingham faces a harsh reality of overflowing rubbish, rat infestations, and a pervasive stench. Residents on one street are so frustrated with the mounting litter that they collectively contribute £1 each week to hire a communal skip.
DailyRubbish, an anonymous litter-picker with 185,000 TikTok followers, has made multiple visits to clean streets across Birmingham, including Bordesley Green and Small Heath. Receiving numerous requests from locals eager to see their neighborhoods cleaned, he travels across the Midlands but notes that Birmingham frequently stands out for its community engagement and gratitude.
Reflecting on his visits, DailyRubbish singled out Cherrywood Road in Bordesley Green as especially dire. “There was a real stench of rubbish, and residents expressed frustration, saying ‘no point doing it here mate, it’ll just be back again,’” he explained.
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On another occasion, while cleaning Fourth and Fifth Avenue, a new resident shared alarming observations of “rats the size of cats” and described how neighbors collectively fund a skip, paying £1 weekly for disposal. This grassroots effort has become vital as waste piles up and rodent activity worsens.
DailyRubbish’s journey began with a simple mission: to make litter picking appealing and inspire people to care for their environment. Starting from scratch, he committed to picking up one piece of litter for every new follower. His efforts have now garnered widespread attention, with his first Birmingham cleanup in Sparkhill reaching 2.8 million views on TikTok.
He praises Birmingham for its welcoming residents and strong community spirit. “Birmingham has the most people who say thank you and are genuinely grateful. It’s a pleasure to help here more than anywhere else,” he said.
As the bin strike continues, community initiatives like shared skips and volunteer clean-ups are critical in keeping Birmingham’s streets livable.