A major incident has been declared by Birmingham City Council over the ongoing bin strikes, which has left 17,000 tonnes of waste on the streets.
Council leader John Cotton said the action had been taken in response to rising concerns about public health as the authority struggles to clear the rubbish.
The declaration means the authority can increase its street cleaning operation and fly-tipping removal, with an extra 35 vehicles and crews around the city.
Mr Cotton said daily picket lines in the all-out strike were preventing vehicles from getting out of depots, which has led to the waste building up.
Mr Cotton said it was “regrettable” the council had to take this step.
“[But] we cannot tolerate a situation that is causing harm and distress to communities across Birmingham,” he said.
