News / Housing
Woman clears ‘carrier bag’ worth of polystyrene balls from flat every day
Michelle Grace has “had enough”.
For the last ten months, she has been removing “carrier bags” worth of polystyrene balls from her flat every day, despite multiple appeals to Bristol City Council to fix the issue.
She is now facing damp and mould problems due to the balls filling up her extractor fan and clogging the vents.
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“It looks like it’s snowing outside my house,” says Michelle, who is a domestic violence worker.
“They’re turning up everywhere in the house, in food, and being eaten by my pets.”
Michelle lives in a detached council house that has been converted into two flats in Bedminster with her 18-year-old son.
EPS beads are a widely-used form of insulation but can cause damp and mould if they are not installed correctly – photo: Michelle Grace
The balls are known as EPS beads, a cost effective form of insulation commonly used in properties across the UK.
EPS beads are expanded polystyrene beads that are injected into a wall cavity and mixed with adhesive to ensure they form a single mass and do not escape from the cavity.
Although the beads are a widely-used form of insulation, if they are not installed correctly, damp and mould can develop.
Inhalation of the dust from the beads can also cause coughing and irritation, and some studies have suggested the beads may be carcinogenic, although no clear link has been determined yet.
“I have a history of breast cancer so I am very upset with the council, because I feel they are risking my health,” says Michelle.
“I have had enough. I pay my rent every month. I look after my property. I don’t cause problems. I just think they treat me and my son with contempt.”
Michelle says her bathroom has also had to be repaired due to the damp, and her sofas are developing mould.
“What I would really like is for them to apologise, make good the repairs and decorate my home for me,” she continues.
Michelle has had to remove “carrier bags” worth of polystyrene balls from her flat every day for the last ten months – photo: Michelle Grace
The balls are also damaging for the environment, as they do not break down and can get into the soil, drains and other public spaces.
“I don’t know how they cannot know what is going on when they are repeatedly told,” says Michelle.
Bristol24/7 contacted the council about Michelle’s property. A spokesperson said: “This is clearly an unacceptable issue and needs to be investigated immediately.
“Our response repair team are contacting the resident (on Thursday, October 13) to arrange a visit and carry out urgent works needed to find a solution which can be put it in place as soon as possible.
“Further inquiries will be made as to why no action has been taken sooner.”
Main photo: Michelle Grace
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