The City of Brussels is currently running a pilot project involving smart, digitally controlled rat traps. There are currently 10 of these traps in place at the Square Atomium and the De Wand neighbourhood in Laeken. Since February 2026, they have already caught 250 rats.
A female rat can produce up to 80 offspring per year. Catching 250 rats therefore prevents a potential population of several thousand rats.
How do the smart rat traps work?
These high-tech traps recognise and analyse the behaviour of rats and use that data to determine the ideal moment to catch them. They consist of black boxes containing bait (grains, nuts, sugar,...) to attract rats.
As soon as they enter the box, a flap opens and the rats fall into a liquid. They drown within one to two minutes. The rats are thus immediately trapped inside the box and do not end up in public spaces.
Furthermore, this technology operates without poison and therefore poses no danger to public health or to other animals in public spaces.
Real-time notifications of catches
Via an app, staff from the Disinfection Service receive real-time notifications of catches. This means they know exactly when to empty the boxes. This data also makes it possible to map the rat problem by neighbourhood.
These smart traps are also used in Paris, New York City and various Flemish municipalities and towns. For Brussels, this is a first.