Operation Shockroach Hits Town
PR 188
5 June 2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Operation Shockroach is due to hit Great Yarmouth in June – but before you wonder who is showing this latest Hollywood epic – it is a feature aimed strictly at commercial premises.
Environmental health officers from Great Yarmouth Borough Council are to visit properties along Marine Parade in a bid to eradicate cockroaches from all commercial catering premises.
“In the past cockroaches have been dealt with at individual premises that are causing concern,” explained Commercial Manager Derryth Wright.
“It is hoped that by tackling the whole of Marine Parade as one, this problem can finally be eradicated.
“We will be inspecting as many of the 450 premises along the seafront as we can during a two-week period.
“Cockroaches can contaminate food with their excrement, give out an unpleasant odour, cause illness to people who eat contaminated foods and in some cases give people an allergic skin reaction.
“However, they can be eradicated through the use of professional pest control and methods can then be employed by individuals to stop them from re-infesting their premises - such as implementing high standards of hygiene and removing any food or water sources.
“Premises with an infestation will find a pest control officer by looking through Yellow Pages, but they must be aware that one treatment is not enough. A follow-up call is needed to ensure nothing has hatched in the meantime.”
One of the steps which businesses can take to keep the pests at bay is the proper storage of trade waste. Therefore Environmental Health Officers will also be checking that correct trade waste documentation is kept to prove businesses are undertaking a ‘duty of care’ – and on-the-spot fines of £300 will be made for any business not complying.
By checking for this duty of care documentation it is hoped that the issue of the illegal dumping of waste from commercial premises will also addressed. This supports Environmental Health’s ‘catch and convict’ approach to waste control.
All the premises along Marine Parade have already received a letter from the Environmental Health team to explain this Shockroach operation and the operation is due to start in the next few weeks.
For further information contact Derryth Wright on 01493 846 478.Issued by:
Liz Dann
Press Officer
Great Yarmouth Borough Council
01493 846513