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BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — As the North End restaurants shift to outdoor dining, one the concerns raised by Boston City Officials was the population of rats that have seemingly swarmed downtown and into surrounding neighborhoods.
In an effort to keep the rodents at bay, Boston Inspectional Services has come up with a new method of exterminating rats: carbon monoxide.
Department officials said that they have acquired machines that pump carbon monoxide into burrows, suffocating and euthanizing the rats in a less chemical fashion. Michael Mackan of the BIS told WBZ's Karyn Regal that the method has proven effective.
"We shovel them in, and in one hole we pump smoke into it and euthanize the rats in that manner. We cover up the hole, come back a couple days later and you see that the hole has been dug back out- you know that everyone has passed underneath there," Mackan said.
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The City has told residents in the past to keep food away from the floor, secure garbage and cabinet openings, and regularly clean pet waste for proper pest control. According to Boston's Code Ordinance, no building permits are issued until the applicant has treated or are free from insects and rodent infestations. Violations will be brought against property owners or managers if rats activity is found within residential buildings.
WBZ's Karyn Regal (@Karynregal) reports.
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