Article Says Furniture Retailers May Be Contributing To Bedbug Outbreak

Furniture World News

A news item in the Sunday, November 7th issue of the "New York Times" entitled, "Just Try To Sleep Tight. The Bedbugs Are Back", reported on the dramatic increase in bedbug infestations in New York City. It seems that there were 377 bedbug violations loogged by the City last year in contrast to 2 in 2002 and 16 in 2003. The article noted that, "Entomologists and exterminators blame increased immigration from the developing world, the advent of cheap international travel and the recent banning of powerful pesticides. Other culprits include the recycled mattress industry and those thrifty New Yorkers who revel in the discovery of a free sofa on the sidewalk." The article also placed blame with "department stores" that pick up and dispose of old bedding when a new mattress is delivered. It seems that the bugs can migrate from the picked up merchandise to new deliveries on the truck.