well it is a good thought now lets hope it works even most of the time. I am so paranoid about getting bedbugs. I found an all natural product that really gets rid of them bin Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth. I get mine from http://www.gardenharvestsupply.com/ProductCart/pc/Diatomaceous-Earth-Food-Grade-p39.htm

DDT should be legalized for interior use. The research and publicity that went into banning DDT in the 70s were related to the environmental effects of its constant, widespread agricultural application. Using DDT over a short period of time in a controlled interior setting to treat a bedbug infestation is a completely different circumstance.

If something isn't done bedbugs will only become more widespread, and our hysterical culture will cause more and more people to keep quiet about it, or worse yet, become accustomed to having them in their lives (ick!)

Except that bedbugs are now immune to DDT.

I'm not against legalizing it for the purpose you described, but it would be great if you can link to any clinical studies on the long-term effects of limited interior usage.

There has been research that points to DDT causing harm to fetuses of pregnant farm workers.

There is still a debate underway about the pros and cons of applying DDT in interiors to as a method of preventing malaria in parts of the world where it is common. The pros of its use clearly outweigh the cons (millions of lives saved vs. possible minor physical effects), but the issue of its worldwide ban still hang over all of the discussions.

Show me a study that says exposure to ANY pesticide doesn't cause some kind of effect on your body. I know we wish we could spray our monkey's-breath-patchouli-oil-pest-negotiating-product around our beds and be done with it, but a crisis is a crisis.

"you're empty."

"so are you."

A perfect NYC non-solution then: Landlords lie about ever having bedbugs in their rental, and tenants lie about ever having bedbugs in past apts. Next problem.

The bedbug history is they are rampant in Mexico and South America....so guess how they got into your office, store, building....can you say sanctuary city??

Sorry, exnyer, as much as I am against illegal immigration and think all illegal aliens should go home, I can't lay this one at their feet. This current infestation is due, not to them, but to three factors:

1. Increased international travel by our own citizens

2. The banning of powerful organophosphate insecticides that used to keep bed bugs in check.

3. The social stigma of bed bugs causing folks to hide the fact that they have an infestation.

The illegals are innocent on this one.

Read response to dept54321.

Yes, because bedbugs are capable of differentiating between legal and illegal immigrants.

Oh, wait. You were the one failing to differentiate, weren't you? Huh. Well, thanks for adding a little bigotry to the discussion. Spices things up.

In other news, this law only requires the disclosure of bedbug infestations from the previous year. I assume the landlords in question will be entirely fair in "turning the tables" by only asking about tenant infestations from the previous year.

Well....here is a little background, first the bulk of illegals are young males they come here not to assimilate but to earn as much as they can and return to Mexico or South America after 3-5 years with a bundle of cash and live the good life back home. To accomplish that goal they have to live here in squalor conditions, slum lord divided apartments. They need sex= prostitution, they need entertainment= alcohol drugs, they need medical= free to them in USA causing you and me to bear the brunt of the expense they add up while in America. I am not a bigot but I am tired of paying for illegals.