PENSION STRIKES CAUSE MASSIVE STINK IN PARIS

Waste across large areas of the French capital is currently piling up on the streets.

Waste collectors have recently joined the strike over President Macron’s proposal to raise the pension age from 62 to 64. The strikes not only affect Paris, but also neighbouring cities like Le Havre, Rennes and Nantes.

As part of the strikes, three waste treatment sites have been blockaded by workers and a fourth site has been partially closed.

So far, 5,600 tonnes of waste is still to be collected.

With the waste piling up and bins overflowing locals are fearing that the city’s infamous rats population will soon take over.

According to Roman Lasseur, a rat specialist told Le Parisien newspaper that there is a massive health risk staring Paris in the face.

“The strike triggers a change in rat behaviour. They’ll rummage around in bins, reproduce there, and leave their urine and droppings. We have a worrying health risk for refuse collectors and the general population.”

Ten of the districts where private companies are in charge of waste removal, had no problems and the service was running almost normally.

The city’s municipal workers in charge of the bins are to meet soon to decide whether to continue with the strike or return to work. Because of difficult working conditions, refuse collectors in Paris only work until the age of 57.

With the new rules, they would have to work another two years.

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