Authorities in Amsterdam plan to focus on preventive measures against rats, as complaints from residents about them have increased over the past year.
According to Alexander Scholtes, Amsterdam City Council Commissioner for Public Health and Prevention, last year there were 6,800 reports of rat-related nuisances in the city—600 more than the previous year.
Scholtes stated that rats in Amsterdam gain access to homes through structural issues such as faulty sewage systems or cracks in basements. These animals are also attracted to food scraps left near street garbage bins, whose numbers have been rising along with the city’s growing population.
To reduce rat-related incidents, Amsterdam plans to allocate an additional €250 million annually—double the current amount—for preventive measures.
These measures include educating the public on proper waste disposal, installing more waste collection points, and improving building infrastructure.
Scholtes considers rat extermination ineffective, stating: “If the root causes of the rat problem aren’t addressed, the rats will always return, and the nuisance will return with them.”
