rats Archives - Marketplace

America's largest city has a trash problem. Can it be contained?

by Kai Ryssdal and Sofia Terenzio

Mar 21, 2024

Plastic trash bags, and the rats they attract, are very visible parts of the New York landscape. A plan to bring in bins may squeeze scarce space.

The sheer volume of trash New York City has to collect every day is enormous. It's "kind of an insane feat," said Larry Buchanan, a reporter with The New York Times.

Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images

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New York City's hangry rat problem has big stakes

by Sabri Ben-Achour

Sep 8, 2022

Rats have burrowed their way into the heart of an economic and political fight worth many tens of millions of dollars.

A dead rat lies on the ground, hunted down by dogs of Ryders Alley Trencher-fed Society in lower Manhattan last year. Rat sightings have increased in New York City since the start of the pandemic.

Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images

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New York City turns to dry ice to control its rat population

by Tracey Samuelson

May 23, 2019

The frozen carbon dioxide is more effective than rodenticide in some cases. But experts say cities will never eradicate rats.

New York City exterminator Joseph Rodriguez drops dry ice pellets into a rat burrow. The dry ice turns into a gas, essentially suffocating the rats with carbon dioxide.

Tracey Samuelson

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