Can the 'Garbage Revolution' ease New York's rat problem?

Recently, New York launched a "garbage revolution" to clean up the city, requiring more than 200,000 businesses selling food to use covered garbage cans to store waste, by the end of 2026, residential will also be required to use such garbage cans. The move is an attempt by New York authorities to move away from the city's old image of being littered with garbage and infested with rats.

The rat problem in New York is indeed a serious challenge. In recent years, the number of rats in New York has increased dramatically, which has caused no small impact on the lives of citizens and the city's health environment.

New York City's rat population may have grown to 3 million, a staggering number that's nearly a third of the city's population. Not only did the rats roam the streets, sewers and subways, but even during the pandemic, adequate shelter and food from canteens provided them with better living conditions, allowing their numbers to grow even further. So why is New York City infested with rats? The author analyzes several reasons.

Garbage disposal problem. The sheer volume of garbage generated in New York City every day overloads the waste disposal system, which leads to garbage accumulation and overflowing trash cans, providing a rich food source for rats. In addition, people sometimes litter irresponsibly or dispose of rubbish incorrectly, which also provides opportunities for rats.

Urban structure problem. New York City's high density of buildings and tall buildings provide an ideal habitat for rats. For example, old buildings and underground plumbing systems serve as nests and passageways for rats, allowing them to move easily through the city.

Sanitary conditions. Sanitation in New York City has always been a problem, especially in some affluent areas or near vacant homes, where poor maintenance and the accumulation of waste have allowed rats to breed rapidly. This poor sanitary environment provides convenient conditions for the survival and reproduction of rats.

Lack of effective rodent control measures. Although the New York City government has launched several rodent eradication campaigns, they have not been very effective due to the rapid reproduction rate and large numbers of rats, and the complexity of the urban environment. The rats soon reappeared and continued to plague the lives of citizens and the urban environment.

The above four reasons have led to the current situation of rat infestation in New York, which has also brought serious influence and trouble to the urban environment and residents' life in New York.

First of all, rats have a serious impact on the sanitary environment of the city. Thanks to piles of garbage and plentiful food supplies, the rat population has mushroomed, and they have infested every corner of the city, spreading disease and contaminating food and water, potentially threatening the health of citizens.

Secondly, rats do damage to the ecological environment and crops. Not only do they eat crops, causing farmers to lose money, but they also have an impact on local species diversity. In urban environments, rats compete with other animals for food resources, posing a threat to the ecological balance.

In addition, rats can cause damage to buildings. They like to eat the wires and pipes of the building, which not only brings security risks to the building, but also may lead to fire, leakage and other serious consequences. Repairing and replacing power lines and pipes that have been bitten by rats takes a lot of time and money, resulting in financial losses for residents.

Finally, the presence of rats has also brought problems to the lives of New Yorkers. They often break into people's homes, gnawing on furniture, wires and even clothing, bringing inconvenience and security risks to residents' lives. At the same time, rats also haunt places such as restaurants and snack bars, stealing food and competing with humans for survival resources.

Overall, the rat problem in New York is a challenge that requires long-term attention and effort. In addition to the government's efforts, New Yorkers also need to raise awareness of hygiene and work together to create a healthy and safe living environment to reduce the living space of rats.