Bill will take bite out of bugs

In response to a rising number of complaints, one city lawmaker is taking the next step to squash the city’s record bed bug infestation.
Councilwoman Gale Brewer will reintroduce legislation in February to fight a growing bed bug population, affecting city homes, apartments and hotels. The bill, originally introduced in May 2005, called for a Bed Bug Task Force and a restriction against mattress reconditioning and resale, which would come with fine between $250 and $1000.
“As The Queens Courier brought up, old and new mattresses traveling together on the same truck is also an issue with bed bugs,” Brewer said, adding that since the press conference she held Sunday, her office has gotten hundreds of calls about bed bugs.
“There will be changes [to the bill],” she said.
Following The Queens Courier article about bed bugs last week, Brewer officially announced her decision to include a resolution banning pickups of potentially-infected furniture on the same trucks as new pieces.
Brewer said she hopes to add the resolution during council hearings after hearing testimony from various bed bug experts about the extent of the problem and ways to exterminate the pests.
Councilman Peter Vallone, Jr., suggested that the issue might be solved by requiring mattresses and furniture companies to plastic-wrap all materials before they are loaded back on trucks.
Brewer said experts will be consulted as to whether this is a viable method for protecting against bed bugs.
“We expect [the bill] will move quickly to council hearings,” she said.