A Cross-Pollination of Municipal Rat Mitigation Ideas

NEW YORK - Day one of the National Urban Rat Summit was devoted to presentations from rodent control experts, including those from academia and public institutions, who took a deep dive into rodent control from both a historical and present day, socio-economic perspective.

These presentations laid the groundwork for day two, which was an examination of six essential frames of municipal rat mitigation: parks, sewers, construction, public housing, residential yard/alleys and refuse containerization/collections. Speakers from public institutions in large metropolitan cities reviewed challenges – as well as progress being made – in those six essential frames.

The following is a review of those presentations as well as the subsequent breakout workshops, in which attendees met in small groups for a “cross pollination” of ideas and potential paths forward.

PARKS. Maddie Baker, operations manager, Bryant Park, discussed complexities of managing rat populations in urban parks, focusing on four key areas: environmental factors, human behavior, operational challenges and long-term external influences. Baker noted that parks provide habitats for rodents due to food waste and water sources, while human behaviors, like feeding birds, exacerbate the issue. Other factors that have allowed rats to proliferate include the presence of urban infrastructures and lack of rat predators.

Paths forward: In the working groups, attendees discussed the need to continue/expand “do not feed bird campaigns,” including the use of signs in parks; encouraging park visitors (also with signage) to bag and bring home garbage (whenever possible) so that cans don’t become overfilled. As mentioned in a presentation from Dr. Caroline Bragdon, research scientist with the New York City Department of Health's Division of Veterinary and Pest Control Services, collecting and analyzing rat data is an important development in rodent management because it can target hot spots, which can make rodent work become more efficient and effective. In theory, this would allow for service professionals to treat more square footage in the same amount of time because they would be making more targeted treatments. Parks are natural environments to continue and expand this work.

SEWERS. Leah Helms, supervisor of the Solid Waste, Rodent, and Zoonotic Disease Program for King County (Seattle, Wash., area), reviewed the long-standing challenges of managing rat populations in Seattle, particularly in relation to the city's sewer systems. Helms provided historical context of Seattle’s sewer infrastructure and its unintended role in supporting rat habitats. Helms noted that the complex design and maintenance challenges of sewer systems inadvertently facilitate rat infestations. Although the city has made strides tracking rat activity using “live mapping,” it lacks comprehensive data and protocols for effective management. Other issues include human actions that contribute to rat problems (e.g., improper waste disposal) and inadequate staffing; Helms only has two employees that do rodent work throughout the city’s entire sewer system.

Paths forward: Attendees recommended utilizing more smart technology, like cameras, sensors and robots, to monitor sewers and report rodent sightings; advocating for national standards in plumbing codes to integrate pest prevention; exploring non-toxic methods for controlling rodent populations; and making sewage less appealing.

CONSTRUCTION PRACTICES. Consultant Bobby Corrigan, RMC Pest Management, presented on behalf of John Ulrich, City of Boston, Inspectional Services. Corrigan noted that although construction activities can disturb rodent populations, existing infestations often are stirred up by urban infrastructure, rather than construction itself. Understanding rat behavior, such as their attraction to warmth and food, is crucial for effective management.

Paths forward. Proper waste management on construction sites, including well-designed dumpsters and regular monitoring of construction sites, is essential for preventing infestations, attendees commented.  Community engagement and regulatory oversight in maintaining sanitary conditions, particularly in areas undergoing construction, also is crucial.

PUBLIC HOUSING. Josey Bartlett, NYC Housing Authority, shared challenges in managing pest control services, particularly in large, multi-family buildings. The scale of pest control operations in NYC public housing, including 300 staff members and 150 service professionals, handling around 4,000 treatments monthly, creates logistical challenges and the need for effective communication among various entities (e,g., plumbers, maintenance workers, etc.). Other challenges include the complexities of retrofitting older buildings to prevent pest entry and the importance of resident engagement in pest management efforts.

Paths forward. The importance of sensitive communication to engage residents was discussed. Instead of outreach methods like fliers, which have proven ineffective, the focus should be on community events like shredding parties to reduce residents’ clutter. Attendees also encouraged more frequent refuse collections and clearer contract language to ensure effective pest management.  Also discussed was incentivization as a strategy for getting residents engaged to keep public housing common areas clean.

RESIDENTIAL YARD/ALLEYS. Gerrard Brown, Washington, D.C. Department of Health, shared challenges with unkempt residential properties, including how overgrown yards often attract pests, such as rats. Brown said many residents blame the city for pest issues without recognizing their role in contributing to the problems.

Paths forward. Creating more resident awareness to discourage practices like residents leaving food out for stray animals; more funding to continue providing free pest control services in public spaces and more enforcement measures were other action items.

REFUSE CONTAINERIZATION/COLLECTIONS. NYC’s Bragdon and Rebecca Kriegman, executive director, policy and planning, NYC Department of Sanitation, reviewed the importance of reducing refuse sources in residential, commercial and public areas. Bragdon discussed how human behavior, even minor littering, worsens the issue, while urban density complicates waste management. Challenges include poor garbage storage, litter from high foot traffic, illegal dumping and unclear cleanup responsibilities. Ultimately, coordinated efforts — like legislation and better waste practices — are essential for reducing rat populations.

Kriegman focused on waste collection operations and the complexities of implementing containerization in NYC, which collects about 46 million pounds of waste daily. A significant amount of waste is left in plastic bags on sidewalks, contributing to rat problems. Kriegman provided a historical perspective on NYC’s trash collection, noting that the use of garbage cans in the city dwindled in 1971, in the aftermath of the 1968 New York City garbage strike. She also noted that operational challenges, including limited space for containers, competition for curb space, and weather impact trash collection. Kriegman provided an update on the city’s efforts containerize 70 percent of its 14 billion annual pounds of trash in two years. She said the city will make progress thanks to newly introduced measures, including requiring commercial entities to use bins and changing trash set-out times. Perhaps the most challenging step, Kriegman said, is refuse management in high-density residential areas with 10 to 30 units and more. “Here in New York City, we have buildings with 100 and 300-plus units which present enormous operational challenges. Those properties will be required to use on-street containers - the European style ones – that will be used on the automated site-loading vehicle that the department has developed.” Kriegman added that the city has been encouraged with containerization results from pilot programs.

Paths forward. Much of this discussion was focused on the need for more “containerization" — using designated trash containers to improve waste management — and how this could lead to initiatives like "pay-as-you-throw" programs to hold residents accountable for their waste. One attendee noted that schools are responsible for a tremendous amount of food waste, and they would like to see more composting done in schools. Additional suggestions included waste characterization studies for specific neighborhoods, and PR campaigns to promote containerization through community engagement.

WHAT’S NEXT? Organizers from the National Rat Summit shared recordings of the presentations and notes from the essential frame working groups and were discussing how to best keep momentum from the Summit moving forward.

The author is senior news editor of PCT magazine.