The Rat Infestation That Haunts New York City: A New Solution Has Emerged
For years, New York City has been plagued by a rat infestation, but now the city has found an effective method to eliminate these unwanted pests.
City officials have discovered a new approach that has successfully eradicated entire populations of rats in the Upper East Side streets. City Council member Julie Menin told Gothamist that this method has effectively removed over 100 rat burrows along East 86th Street since it was implemented last year. The primary strategy involves injecting carbon monoxide directly into the rat burrows in tree pits.
The city is using “chemical weapons” to eliminate rodents.
According to Gothamist, Menin’s office stated, “This method has demonstrated an impressive near 100% ‘kill rate’ in tree pits where it has been applied.”
Menin explained that this strategy was first utilized on East 86th Street due to the high number of complaints regarding rats in the area, partly attributed to goods from retail stores and discarded waste.
Mayor Eric Adams has made the fight against rats a key initiative of his administration. Previously, he posted a job listing for a “rat campaign leader” with a salary of up to $170,000 (over 4 billion VND) per year, requiring a “bloodthirsty instinct.”
Recently, there have been signs of progress – the number of rat complaints has decreased citywide, and new waste collection methods are reducing the rodents’ access to free meals from trash.
Menin learned about the carbon monoxide method after researching rat eradication efforts in other cities like Boston. She then hired a local pest control company, Urban Pest Management, to apply the poison in burrows starting last year.
Matthew Deodato, president of Urban Pest Management, stated that the carbon monoxide released from the burrow is safe for humans, pets, and other animals since it dissipates in the air—similar to exhaust from running vehicles, which can be lethal without proper ventilation.
The smoke released is harmless to humans and pets.
The Burrow Rx machine uses vegetable oil to create smoke, allowing Deodato to visually track where the smoke is directed—and to ensure that no carbon monoxide is moving towards underground offices or residences that lack ventilation.
Ibrahim Asmal, a 53-year-old vendor selling newspapers and candy on the street, told the New York Daily News earlier this year: “The situation is really bad, guys.” He added that rats frequently invade his products. “When they get inside, they chew through everything. And then you have to throw the stock away.”
The newspaper reported that the city’s initial response to placing poison bait boxes had failed—some rats even moved in and settled inside the boxes. Eventually, Menin allocated $10,000 (nearly 250 million VND) to hire rat extermination expert Matthew Deodato, who is nicknamed “Matt the Rat Killer.”
Deodato injecting poison into a rat burrow. If no rats come out, it means they are asleep and will “sleep” forever.
True to his name, Deodato carries a spiked garden hoe to dispatch any rats that escape the burrow and flee from the smoke. However, he must avoid “executing” them in public.
“People are still sensitive when witnessing something die. They feel a bit uncomfortable—even if it’s just a rat.”
Andrew Fine, secretary and treasurer of the East 86th Street Association, stated in a release from Menin’s office that the program has been a “resounding success” in eradicating 100 burrows, and now the street only requires “regular maintenance of one or two” burrows.
Menin remarked: “This is not a cure-all that will solve all of New York City’s rat problems, but it is a very effective tool for the issue of tree pits.”
