NYC Mayor Eric Adams unleashes an extermination team on the city’s rat population, set to begin work immediately. The $877,000 team is commissioned to find rodents, gas them to death with carbon monoxide, and bury them in the city’s tree beds. The program aptly named, the Street Tree Bed Rat Mitigation program, is made up of 12 full time staff members, including exterminators, park workers, and a forester.
Adams has waged a war on rats during his time as mayor. In an appearance at Stroud Playground in Brooklyn, Adams proclaimed, “By cleaning up trash and hiring a team of experts to clear out burrows while caring for our trees, we are reclaiming public space, fighting rats, and improving quality of life for all New Yorkers.” He continued, “Our administration continues to build on the work we are doing to end the dominance of trash and rats on our streets.”
The rat extermination team is the next move in the Adams administration’s attempt to reclaim the city and control the rat population. Adams explained, “The gassing process boasts a 95% kill rate for seven days, takes about three minutes, and does not require a license to operate the proper equipment.” According to officials, the gas does not pose a risk to humans or other animals, and the noisy equipment used to deploy the gas will remain at least 10 feet away from the foundations of buildings. Previous attempts to combat the rodent problem have included initiatives to containerize 70% of the city’s street trash and a rat birth control program. These programs have proven successful, as the City Hall said rat sightings were down 17% this month. The new initiative is set to protect the city’s tree beds, historically used as breeding and nesting grounds for rodents.
Many animal rights activists are concerned about Mayor Eric Adams’ new efforts. John Di Leonardo, the executive director of the animal advocacy group Humane Long Island, told The New York Post, “The rats will suffer a slow and painful death due to the poison.” He argued, “Lethal methods don’t work, as the resultant spike in the food supply causes accelerated breeding among survivors.” Leonardo argued that trash on sidewalks and streets should be tackled first. He said, “If that’s taken care of, the rat population will decrease naturally. Carbon monoxide kills people and pets every day, never intentionally – using it in city parks and streets is both cruel and reckless.”
For other New Yorkers, the City’s tree-lined streets are a main concern. Department of Parks and Recreation Commissioner Iris Rodriguez-Rosa argued, “For too long, rats in street tree beds have gone unaddressed, undermining the hard work of both city agencies and local communities. With this new investment, we’re closing that gap. By combining science-based, non-toxic approaches with dedicated staff, we’re protecting our trees, our neighborhoods, and our quality of life.” The war on rats is well underway this summer, and New Yorkers await the results of Mayor Adams’s new policy.
