Mayor's Weekly Column
From the Desk of Mayor Hall
Protecting Our Workers and Residents From Bedbugs
The Village of Hempstead’s Sanitation Department does an excellent job of keeping our streets clean and free of waste and refuse. It is important to remember, however, that these diligent public servants cannot do it alone. Every resident needs to help by following sanitation guidelines that dictate how, where and when refuse should be put out at the curb. These rules protect the health and safety of our workers and residents, in addition to keeping our Village attractive.
The Board of Trustees and I recently amended Chapter 74 of the Village Code to address the collection of bedding by our sanitation department. Not long ago, it was hard to imagine an old mattress as a public health hazard, but in recent years, bedbugs have once again become a concern. Largely eradicated from most developed nations after World War II, bedbugs are making a comeback thanks to increases in international travel and the prohibition of the pesticide DDT.
Bedbugs are reddish brown, oval and flat, about the size of an apple seed. During the day, they hide in the cracks and crevices of beds, box springs, headboards and bed frames. They are especially problematic in places with high turnovers of nighttime guests, such as hotels, hospitals and homeless shelters.
Because of these concerns, the Village Code now requires any person disposing of bedding (mattresses and/or box springs) to enclose those items in a bedbug-proof bag. This bag should be large enough to fully contain the bedding, and securely sealed once the bedding is inside. These items must also be collected via special pick-up. To schedule a pick-up, please call the Sanitation Department at (516) 489-3400, ext. 268.
To stay on top of what’s happening in the Village, please join our electronic mailing list by sending your name and email address to Mayor@villageofhempsteadny.gov, and listen to the “Hempstead Happening” radio show every Wednesday at 4:15 p.m. on WTHE-AM (1520).
Sincerely,
Wayne
Wayne J. Hall Sr.
Mayor of the Incorporated Village of Hempstead
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