Maggots, pests and odours

Why am I getting maggots in my bin?

Maggots only exist if flies have been allowed to have access to your rubbish. If flies settle on your food waste they may lay eggs that will hatch into maggots.

Do not worry if you do find maggots in your refuse. While unpleasant, they are not a direct threat to health.

"Independent Defra-funded research has found no evidence of health impacts from Alternate Weekly Collections. Properly designed and implemented, they should not cause problems of odour or other nuisance" MP Ben Bradshaw

How can I prevent maggots?

Many people worry that their refuse and recycling will smell or attract pests, particularly in hot weather. The steps below are good practice for avoiding these problems.

Do not leave any food out in the kitchen; dispose of it as soon as possible to prevent flies laying eggs on the food waste
Never leave any pet food uncovered
If you dispose of pet faeces in your refuse, clear up regularly after your pet and place in a securely tied plastic bag before disposing of it in the main rubbish bag
Double-wrap waste meat, fish or dairy products
Ensure rubbish bags are tied tightly
If possible, store your rubbish out of direct sunlight
Rinse out plastic bottles, cans and tins before putting them into your recycling box

Page last reviewed 27 Feb 2008