The bedbugs are biting more often, and New Rochelle wants to make sure public works employees don’t pick up the infestation.
The City Council on Tuesday passed a law requiring residents to place mattresses and box springs in plastic bags sealed with packing tape before leaving them for city workers to collect.
Public Works Commissioner Alex Tergis said sanitation workers are finding more mattresses that people are throwing out because of the home pests.
“Over the past couple of years, the increase of bedbugs in this area has doubled the (number) of mattresses and box springs they pick up,” Tergis said at the meeting.
He said the needed bags can be purchased at stores such as Home Depot and Walmart.
Mattresses that are not bagged will not be picked up. Owners who leave the items unbagged could be hit with a citation, Tergis said. But he and City Manager Charles Strome III said they would likely be left with a notice about the law. At Councilman Al Tarantino’s request, Tergis said the notice left could include information on how to get the bags.
