Greener Guidance: Municipal Rodent Control

Oct 09, 2018 | Michelle Shapiro

Note: This is the third edition of NACCHO’s new Greener Guidance environmental health advice column. Learn more here. Submit a question here.

October 2018

Dear Greener Guidance,

Our city has a rat problem, and despite our best efforts it’s not getting any better. What are some new and innovative solutions we can try?

– Reining in the Rats

Dear Reining in the Rats,

The key is focusing on human behavior, not on the rats, according to Dr. Claudia Riegel, director of the City of New Orleans Mosquito, Termite and Rodent Control Board. The best way to eliminate rodents is eliminating the availability of the food that feeds them, which most often comes from the trash of individuals, restaurants, and other businesses.

While keeping the city clean sounds simple, says Dr. Riegel, changing human behavior is quite the opposite. To see a real reduction in rodent activity, everyone needs to take responsibility and do their part; the government must work collaboratively with citizens and businesses to see a change.

An example of collaborating to keep the city clean is the CleanUpNOLA initiative recently announced by New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell.

NOLA.com reported that Mayor Cantrell said the city has “a rodent infestation problem” that “we can take control of” through the team-oriented approach of CleanUpNOLA.

Gerard Brown, program manager for rodent and vector control at the DC Department of Health (DC Health), agrees with the focus on sanitation: “Using dumpsters properly is important. Remember, sanitation is the single most important factor for rodent control. Keep dumpster areas clean!”

DC Health offers rodent control tips for residents and business owners so everyone can work together toward a cleaner city.

As part of that effort, DC Department of Small and Local Business Development, in partnership with the Mayor’s Office of Clean City, is seeking grant applications for demonstration projects that help DC businesses install commercial waste compactors, which reduce sanitation and rodent issues in commercial areas.

NACCHO supports local health departments in rodent control work, and both New Orleans and Washington, DC were included in NACCHO’s 2015 assessment on local rodent control programs. A research brief and case studies summarizing each of the nine jurisdictions’ programs are available here.


636530147572900000

About Michelle Shapiro

Michelle Shapiro was formerly a communication specialist for the Environmental Health & Disability team at NACCHO.

More posts by Michelle Shapiro

Related Posts

Stakeholder Conference Call on the FDA Integrated Food...

You’re invited to join the call on April 2 to hear more.

Mar 25, 2024

Stakeholder Conference Call on the FDA Integrated Food...

2024 Vector Workshop SM photo 1
  • Tools & Resources
  • Extreme Weather
  • Opportunity
  • Technical Assistance

Join us in Florida for the 2024 Vector Control Hurricane...

An agenda-at-a-glance is now available.

Mar 12, 2024 | Anu Varma

Join us in Florida for the 2024 Vector Control Hurricane...

Produce vegetables grocery store i Stock 813211264
  • Food Safety & Inspection

Illinois Retail Program Standards Self-Assessment and...

A two-and-a-half-day, in-person workshop.

Mar 04, 2024 | Christina Rohland, Carolyn White

Illinois Retail Program Standards Self-Assessment and...

Lessons Learned From Local Health Departments
  • Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene

Meeting the Needs of People Experiencing Homelessness...

Article in March 2024 issue of the Journal of Public Health Management and...

Feb 09, 2024 | Rebecca Rainey

Meeting the Needs of People Experiencing Homelessness...

Vector control workshop 2019 4
  • Funding Opportunity
  • Tools & Resources
  • Opportunity
  • Training

2024 Vector Control Hurricane Crisis Workshop:...

Local vector control programs in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, and...

Feb 08, 2024 | Anu Varma

2024 Vector Control Hurricane Crisis Workshop:...

Updates on Lead/Chromium in Applesauce: CDC Call on...

Join the CDC on February 8, 2024, at 2pm EST.

Feb 06, 2024

Updates on Lead/Chromium in Applesauce: CDC Call on...

Pool checklist
  • Tools & Resources
  • Webinar
  • Community Health
  • Water Quality

[Webinar] Using Environmental Health Data to Inform Pool...

Model Aquatic Health Code Network Webinar - February 2024.

Jan 29, 2024 | Rebecca Rainey

[Webinar] Using Environmental Health Data to Inform Pool...

Doctor Research Tools Preparedness

Please Share with Clinicians: Updated PFAS Information...

Updated information for clinicians to consider when seeing patients who have...

Jan 18, 2024 | Guest Author

Please Share with Clinicians: Updated PFAS Information...

I Stock 1354439496
  • Tools & Resources
  • COVID-19

Lessons Learned from NACCHO’s Wastewater Surveillance...

Read our new report to learn about the background and activities of each...

Jan 18, 2024 | Rebecca Rainey

Lessons Learned from NACCHO’s Wastewater Surveillance...

Back to Top