From Australia to Boston to Cincinnati to Toronto, local governments, public health officials and communities have already devised and implemented an impressive array of sensible solutions, policies and protocols to control the spread of bed bugs.
We believe that New York City can adopt measures to combat bed bugs as a pressing quality of life issue and should use the tools and strategies of public health surveillance and education to achieve control of this public health urban pest.
The city should immediately act to form a task force—with entomologists and urban pest management experts as advisers—to be charged with devising a comprehensive plan with specific attention to the following objectives:
- tracking infestations data;
- rolling out a comprehensive public education campaign;
- establishing clear bed bug control guidelines and policies;
- providing assistance to tenants, landlords and homeowners;
- facilitating and monitoring the specialized training of pest control officers and bed bug inspectors;
- implementing sensible mattress and used furniture regulations; and
- establishing trash collection protocols.
New York vs Bed Bugs Report
Our February 2009 report is available as a PDF download:
Bed Bugs in New York City: A Citizen’s Guide to the Problem
