Union Park Neighborhood Assoc. provides rat remediation update

In a June 27 newsletter, the Union Park Neighborhood Association (UPNA)’s Rodent Remediation Committee provided an update on its recent work.

The organization has been discussing the rat problem in the neighborhood for some time now, including at its April 28 meeting, as reported by The Boston Sun. The group said that in March, the committee held a neighborhood walk-through with the city and urged residents to call 311 to report dumping.

UPNA had also told residents that they should ensure dog waste is removed from the ground and placed in a trash can, to use compost bins and/or the city’s composting programs and sink disposals, as well as getting rid of bird or other animal feeders.

The city’s Project Oscar composting program allows residents to drop off food scraps at locations throughout the city, including the South End branch of the Boston Public Library.

Food waste pickup in the city will begin in August, and residents can learn more and sign up for a food waste bin at https://www.boston.gov/departments/public-works/food-waste.

In this recent email, UPNA president Abigail Cohen reported that the committee completed another walkthrough with the city, and found that dumping can result in ticketing. “If you have access to bins behind your building and you put trash on the curb, you will be at risk of getting a ticket,” she wrote, adding that dumping should still be reported to 311.

Additionally, she said that recommended trash bags for placement on the curb should be 3 millimeters or thicker.

“A few Councilors, including Ed Flynn, have advocated for more money in the budget for pest control,” she wrote. “Hopefully this will be approved!”

Last October, UPNA spoke about the potential for a group discount on extermination services from Ultra Safe Pest Management. The services would include baiting and trapping for multiple properties to treat a whole area rather than individual properties alone.

However, in the June email, Cohen said that “Ultra Safe Pest Management is no longer able to follow through on the discount for those living in the neighborhood” due to “significant personnel changes.” She said that although the committee “worked hard to advocate for a continued discount,” Ultra Safe was unable to accommodate this request.

“We have researched other pest control companies,” she wrote, “but it is really hard to find a company that is consistently well-rated. At this time we do not have another company to suggest.”

Cohen said that the group expects to reveal another initiative later on this summer as an additional solution to the ongoing rat problem.

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