France is racing against time to control its rat infestation menace as the 2024 Paris Olympics gear to start.
City authorities are taking steps to ensure that visitors don’t encounter the city’s notorious rat population.
Ironically, while humorously depicted in the animated film “Ratatouille,” Paris’s abundant rat population is a serious concern for residents.
The rodent problem could be an embarrassment under the global spotlight of the Olympic Games with all eyes on France.
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Rat control in Paris
Deputy Mayor Anne-Claire Boux, responsible for public health, stated that all Olympic sites and celebration areas have been thoroughly analyzed for rat activity.
She shared, “We have ordered a deep clean to remove any food residues that might attract the scurriers from their underground lairs.”
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Additionally, efforts have been made to close off exit points from sewers around these sites. Boux insisted that rats must remain in the sewers.
To mitigate the rat problem, traps, and chemical solutions have been strategically placed in areas with high rat populations.
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Rodent-infested areas in Paris
According to Deputy Mayor Boux, key locations include the park behind the Eiffel Tower, where beach volleyball events will take place, and the Louvre Gardens, the site of the Olympic Cauldron.
Additionally, both areas, previously known for being rat-infested, have been targeted for intensive cleaning and rat-proofing.
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Despite these efforts, Boux emphasized that the goal is not to exterminate Paris’s rats completely, as they play a useful role in maintaining the sewers.
She reiterated “The point is that they should stay in the sewers,” for future endeavors after the 2024 Paris Olympics, she explained.
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Paris mayor criticized for rat problem
Mayor Anne Hidalgo, who depends on support from the Greens, has faced criticism from conservative opponents for allegedly failing to address issues like rubbish, rodents, and dog poop.
Paris has unveiled a “manifesto for beauty” and has since worked to improve the city’s appearance.
The manifesto includes sprucing up boulevards and squares and giving historic buildings a facelift.
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Boux highlighted that the main cause of rat problems is food left on the ground or overflowing waste bins.
To combat this, Paris has introduced new rat-proof bins to ensure that waste is sealed and contained. “The most important thing is that the bins are sealed and closed,” she reiterated.
With these measures in place, Paris aims to present a clean and elegant city to the world during the 2024 Olympics where all eyes are on France.
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