Paris, which has struggled for years with its rat population, is trying a new strategy to deprive the rodents of access to delicious trash discarded in curbside cans.
The new cans, which have appearing at high-traffic locations such as Notre Dame, will soon be in parks and markets city-wide. Eventually, the 20 now in place will grow to 30,000. It’s part of a €1.5 million campaign against disease-spreading rats.
The new cans have solid plexiglass sides with decorative inserts; it’s believed the rats will be unable to climb the slick sides. The previous generation of cans didn’t have solid sides, and rats simply entered the can that way, and ripped open the sides of the trash bag.
