DC To Deploy New Weapon To Fight The Rat Problem: Report

WASHINGTON, DC -- Tough problems require innovative solutions, and that's the route D.C. is going with its new plan to deal with the rat infestation in the city. The District will use dry ice to suffocate rats in their homes, according to a report.

WTOP reports that D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and other city officials gathered at 12th and H Street NE to observed a city worker who packed dry ice into a rat hole and then covered it with dirt. The dry ice works by releasing carbon dioxide (CO2) into the holes, which causes the rats to asphyxiate in their burrows.

“The CO2 [carbon dioxide] that emanates from the dry ice suffocates the rats and their home becomes their grave,” Gerard Brown, Program Manager of Rodent and Vector Control, D.C. Department of Health, said according to the report.

The department also has a program for sterilizing the rats.

Suffocating and sterilizing aren't D.C.'s only methods for tackling the rat problem, however. They'll also try to crack down on restaurants that don't dispose of trash properly, and offer ways to help them do that.

"In June, DSLBD launched the Commercial Waste Compactor Grant, which offers up to $13,500 for qualified DC businesses to purchase or lease a commercial compactor for their trash, recyclables, or compost. DSLBD has identified 29 grantees, mostly food businesses, that will receive sealed, rodent-proof compactors," reads a November statement from the city. "Additionally, earlier this year, DOH worked with DPW and OCTO to strategically deploy 25 solar trash cans and 400 smart litter bins in rat hotspots around the city. The solar trash cans, which are enclosed and rat proof, have solar panels built into them, allowing them to compact trash without being connected to the electrical grid.

"The smart litter bins are trash cans equipped with a sensor that monitors in real time the amount of waste in a bin, the weight of the waste, and whether someone suddenly added large amounts of waste," the statement continues. "The sensors then relay this data to a cloud-based web service used by DPW. The web service compiles the data into a map of every sensor-equipped bin in the city, showing which bins are ready for pickup. The data collected will enable DPW to better mobilize crews for pick-up and improve route and bin deployment efficiency."

The District offers the following tips for keeping the rat population at bay:

• store garbage in metal or heavy plastic containers with tight-fitting lids;
• place trash outside shortly before pickup, instead of days in advance;
• remove weeds and debris near buildings and in yards where rats can easily hide;
• store food that has been removed from its original packaging in metal, glass, or heavy-duty plastic containers with tight fitting lids,
• remove uneaten pet food and store pet food in secure containers; and
• report rodent issues in your neighborhood by calling or texting 311.

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