Bus fumigation “doubled” as more cockroaches sighted
With an increase in sightings of cockroaches and pests on buses, the local bus operator has stated that it recently doubled the frequency of fumigation and pest control on its bus fleet.
In response to a question by this newsroom regarding reports of cockroaches inside buses, Malta Public Transport said that each bus in its fleet is now being treated four times a year.
The bus operator, not denying the presence of cockroaches on its buses, explained that the company is doing its best to prioritise the public’s health and safety, having outsourced a reputed specialist in the field for the past 24 months.
The company said that if a bus is flagged with a sighting, it is taken out of service. The fumigation specialist is obliged to treat the bus immediately within 12 hours.
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Furthermore, wherever the company identifies that a particular bus had been called in for additional treatment on more than three occasions, a more rigorous process is applied.
In such cases, the bus has its internal panelling removed thus allowing for access to specific places in the bus which potentially might harbour pests. In such cases, the chemical used in such locations, is also different and is applied in addition to the repeated fumigation process.
The bus operator went on to note that there has been a registered increase in sightings of pests across the island especially in areas frequented by the public and where there is food.
The company asked for the public’s cooperation to refrain from consuming food and littering while on the bus.
