Olhão council is to start its annual pest control exercise at the beginning of May and asks the public to help so that a coordinated attack on the area's intruders can be launched.The council area's bins will be sprayed to kill cockroaches and sewers laid with bait to kill rats. The work will be carried out in different zones across the municipality until May 18th.
According to the council, "these actions will focus mainly on the network of public bins and local waste disposal sites and is aimed at pest control, not extermination," although it does not define the rather fine distinction between the two.
“In the case of interventions against rats, and given the toxicity of bait, it is not possible to apply this at ground level.
“Rat bait will only be used down in the sewers to prevent accidents involving children or pets.”
The work will be carried out by feareless operatives from the municipality's water and waste company, Ambiolhão, who, "can not intervene at private properties - including building sites, empty houses and private land."
Many of the city's infestation problems are increased by rats, pigeons, bugs and other nasties living in hundreds of derelict and ruined houses, despite a recent boom in the sale of such properties.
The municipality suggests that, "owners of commercial spaces, houses and those responsible for condominiums can coordinate their rat and bug clearance activities with the council’s efforts to improve the effectiveness of treatments in private and public areas.”
Days and zones are shown in this chart:
