Brussels Nears 1,000 Rats Caught in Smart Trap Push
Brussels authorities report that nearly 1,000 rats have been captured across the city using innovative smart, digitally-controlled traps, marking a significant milestone in the Belgian capital’s battle against a persistent rat infestation. The high-tech approach, which works without poison, represents a new strategy in urban pest control for Brussels.
According to VRT NWS, the digital traps have caught 977 rats since the pilot program began in February. The devices, manufactured by Belgian company Strygoo, use smart sensors and a patented TRUST algorithm to detect rat behavior, determine the ideal catching moment, and switch between detection and catching modes remotely.
How the Smart Traps Work
The traps are black boxes baited with grains, nuts, and sugar that attract rats. When a rat climbs onto the box, a flap opens and the animal falls into a liquid in which it drowns within one to two minutes. The rats are captured immediately inside the box, meaning carcasses never end up in public spaces.
As HLN reports, staff from the disinfection service receive real-time notifications via an app when a rat is caught, allowing them to know exactly when to empty the boxes. The data also helps map rat problems by neighborhood.
The technology works without poison and poses no danger to public health or other animals, a key advantage over traditional rat control methods.
Expansion Across the City
Brussels City initially deployed 10 smart traps in February at the Atomiumsquare and in the De Wand neighborhood in Laken. By late April, those traps had caught 250 rats, as BRUZZ reported. This summer, 15 additional smart traps were installed in the pedestrian zone on the Anspachlaan in central Brussels, hidden inside small benches to prevent damage or theft.
The pedestrian zone has been particularly affected by what officials describe as the “burgerization” of the area, with numerous fast-food establishments creating an ideal feeding ground for rodents. The city center is the second-largest problem area in Brussels, according to VRT NWS, which noted that the Brussels region is estimated to have approximately 2.5 million rats.
A Multi-Pronged Strategy
Alderman for Public Cleanliness Anas Ben Abdelmoumen (PS), who took office in December 2024 and made rat control a priority, has overseen the expansion of the smart trap program. “With these traps we are shifting up a gear in the fight against pests,” he said in an April press release, as reported by BruxellesToday. “A major advantage of these traps is that the carcasses do not end up in public spaces.”
The smart traps complement, rather than replace, traditional rat control methods. Disinfection service teams still visit the pedestrian zone daily to place and refresh rat poison. The city has increased its rat control budget to €100,000 for 2026 and established a taskforce with representatives from multiple public actors including Bruxelles-Propreté, Vivaqua, and Bruxelles Environnement, as La Libre reported.
Each smart trap costs approximately €800, with an additional €800 per installation needed for the special bench concealment in the pedestrian zone.
The Root Cause: Food Waste
Despite the technological advances, officials acknowledge that trapping alone cannot solve the problem. Andreas De Kerpel, spokesperson for Alderman Ben Abdelmoumen, told BRUZZ that discarded food remains the primary driver of the infestation.
“Some people dump whole loaves of bread or pizzas there, others the leftovers of their fast-food meal,” De Kerpel said. “For rats, all of that is a feast.”
“We are making a lot of efforts,” he added. “But if those food sources for rats remain present, it’s a bit like mopping the floor with the tap running.”
The city is asking restaurants to secure their waste bags and clean terraces regularly, while urging citizens not to leave food scraps on the street. The combination of education and deterrent fines aims to address the root cause of the problem.
A Broader Trend in Urban Pest Control
The Strygoo technology is already used in Paris, New York City, and various Flemish municipalities and Dutch cities. For Brussels, however, this deployment marks a first for the region.
A female rat can produce up to 80 offspring per year, meaning the 250 rats caught by April represented a potential population of several thousand rats prevented in a restricted area. The city plans to expand the number of smart traps in the coming months and deploy them in other neighborhoods.
As Brussels continues to refine its approach to urban pest management, the smart trap program offers a glimpse into how technology can complement traditional methods in addressing one of the most persistent challenges facing modern cities.