Muslim residents in the UK rally to clean up streets amid bin strike
Local volunteers tackle growing waste problem as city struggles with waste collection disruption
BIRMINGHAM, UK (MNTV) – As Birmingham’s bin workers enter their fifth week of strikes over a wage dispute, local Muslim residents and grassroots groups are stepping in to address the growing waste crisis.
According to UK-based outlet Hyphen, the strike began following the council’s decision to eliminate certain waste roles, potentially slashing workers’ pay by £8,000 annually.
With up to 17,000 tonnes of rubbish accumulating on streets, the city has declared a major public health incident.
Dr. Zein Hud, from the Darul Qurra Mosque in Sparkhill, is among the many volunteers working tirelessly to clean up the mess.
Armed with a litter picker, Hud describes the unpleasant scenes: rotting fruit, leaking bags, and rats scurrying through heaps of waste.
During Ramadan, Hud and fellow mosque volunteers cleaned up daily, noting how bags left out for a few days soon tear open, scattering trash across the streets.
Sparkhill Litter Busters, founded in 2021, has been particularly active.
The group, led by Abdul Khan, grew from a small WhatsApp group into a force of 60-70 volunteers.
They’ve been tackling local litter issues, adopting streets, and working to create a positive response to the city’s ongoing waste problems.
Nearby, the Friends of Reddings Lane Park group in Hall Green North is also mobilizing to address the waste issue.
Chair Farina Ahmed, while speaking to Hyphen, said that they are encouraging community members to take responsibility for cleaning their surroundings.
The group is calling for volunteers to help during the strike and work with the city’s street cleaning teams to collect rubbish bags.
The ongoing strike has sparked a broader conversation about the reluctance some people have to participate in community clean-ups.
Ahmed points out that there’s a stigma about litter-picking, with some feeling it’s beneath them or too unpleasant.
Still, organizations like Narthex, led by Amer Khan, are seeing more people take responsibility for their communities, with families and young people joining efforts.
Despite concerns that the strike could last into the summer, community groups remain determined to keep Birmingham’s streets cleaner and encourage long-term change in local attitudes toward waste.
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