Boston Rodent Action Plan
The Boston Rodent Action Plan (BRAP) is a new initiative to combat the rodent population in the city of Boston.
The Boston Rodent Action Plan (BRAP) is a coordinated, multi-agency initiative to mitigate the rodent population in Boston and provide great quality of life for our residents and visitors. Under the leadership of the Mayor’s Office, Operations Cabinet, and Inspectional Services Department, BRAP brings together key stakeholders from several City departments to collaborate on rodent mitigation strategy and leverage a wide range of expertise. The Inspectional Services Department (ISD) commissioned this report to determine and address Boston's rodent control needs. Renowned urban rodentologist, Dr. Bobby Corrigan, authored the report detailing the factors contributing to Boston's rodent population.
The following City agencies will combine resources and coordinate with other levels of government, property owners, and the general public to help reduce rodent infestation throughout the city:
- Inspectional Services
- Boston Housing Authority
- Boston Water and Sewer
- Boston Public Schools
- Operations Cabinet
- Boston Public Health Commission
- Department of Public Works
- Boston 311
- Boston Parks and Recreation
- Office of Neighborhood Services
- Department of Innovation and Technology
Boston Rodent Report
The report highlights various causes and effects related to rodent infestation, including poor trash mitigation, storage, and removal. Boston, being one of the oldest cities in the Northeast, has infrastructure that greatly influences the rodent population. The densely populated neighborhoods with intertwining alleyways and old sewer systems, along with century-old cobble or brick streets and sidewalks, provide an environment for rodents to thrive.
Dr. Corrigan's report emphasizes how human behavior significantly contributes to the rodent population which he calls 'a modern-day city conundrum.' Storing trash in plastic bags is a norm in some areas of the city, which is a key factor in the rodent population. Changing this behavior is critical in reducing the rodent population, and it needs to be done consistently throughout the city.
Be Informed
The City of Boston diligently educates property owners and residents regarding the proper method to store trash. The key to quality urban rodent control is eliminating and limiting access to food, water, and shelter all of which rodents need to thrive.
If an infestation is found implementing an Integrated Pest Management Plan (IPM) is crucial. An IPM plan utilizes all suitable control methods to keep pest populations from impacting the built environment.
How You Can Help
How You Can Help
Property Owners
- Provide adequate watertight receptacles with tight-fitting lids for your tenants.
- Encourage your tenants to refrain from storing garbage in grocery bags.
- Remove any debris, trim overgrown vegetation until ground underneath is visible and remove stagnant water.
- Rinse your trash and recycling bins.
- Remove, cover, or repair any sources that provide a water source.
- Seal holes, cracks, and gaps.
Tenants
- It is important to consider both the outside and inside of your home in your sanitation efforts.
- Store trash in a proper receptacle. Do not use small bags from the supermarket or convenience stores for trash or recycling purposes.
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Clean up dog waste. Rats and mice love to eat your dog’s waste.
- Do not feed the birds. Uneaten food can attract rodents and other vermin.
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Store compost in a rodent proof container.
Commercial Establishments
The City of Boston Site Cleanliness Ordinance requires all businesses and residential locations that maintain bulk refuse apply for a license from the Boston Inspectional Services, Environmental Sanitation Division.
The Site Cleanliness Ordinance regulates:
- Wind-blown litter
- Rodent activity that occurs as a result of poor trash practices
- Overflowing Dumpster
- Spillage on dumpster
The Plan
The Plan- Actively conducting community walk-throughs and block surveys in collaboration with Code Enforcement, Constituent Services, and community members. These walk-throughs aim to educate, enforce, and mitigate rodent activity, with 10 currently scheduled and over 20 planned for the summer.
- Surveying sewers prone to rodent activity, treating them only if evidence of infestation is found.
- Targets commercial areas with concentrated food establishments through the Neighborhood Blitz, using enforcement and education to uphold the State Sanitary Code.
- Hosts summer webinars on rodent prevention, featuring presentations and Q&A sessions, with the first session attracting over 300 participants.
- Installing new trash barrels in Boston Common and various parks to reduce rodent food sources.
- Addressing structural issues by repairing old walls with holes that have become rodent habitats.
- Collaborates with the Design and Construction team to review plans before bidding to identify and address potential rodent issues.
- Revamped its waste, recycling, and compost management to reduce rodent activity and improve tenant quality of life.
- Introduced the metrostor trash, recycling, and compost bins, with plans to expand composting efforts through a partnership with Bootstrap Compost.
- Recently hired staff member is dedicated part-time to managing BHA waste, ensuring continued focus on mitigating rodent issues.
- The Boston Water and Sewer Commission ensures rodent activity is monitored and reported on all projects.
- Contractors inspect, bait, and set traps in project areas, and any significant rodent activity is forwarded to ISD for further investigation.
- Works with ISD to survey rodent activity in Boston's sewer systems. This collaboration allows the professional to identify rat distribution patterns and progressively reduce the population.
Resources
Trash and Recycling Schedule
Pest Management
Street Sweeping Lookup
Boston Housing Authority Trash and Recycling Tips
Site Cleanliness is required for all food, automotive establishment, and all business and residential owners who use bulk...
Pest Management Multilingual Informational Brochures
Rodent Prevention Video
