rssApr 12, 2026, 18:00

Ferrets to tackle rat infestations: "It’s more animal-friendly than poison," but does it work?

Following a severe rat infestation that closed a business in Amsterdam-Oost, the political party Ja21 has proposed using ferrets as a natural and more humane alternative to poison for pest control. While proponents argue the method is faster and avoids the prolonged suffering caused by toxins, animal welfare organizations have expressed concerns regarding the stress it causes to both the rats and the hunting animals.

Politics Lifestyle Health Amsterdam Netherlands

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Based on reporting by rss. Translated and condensed by LocalHeadlines.

Municipality to open its own healthy restaurant to combat excess of fast food outlets

The Amsterdam municipal government plans to open and then deny a permit for its own unhealthy restaurant to test legal limits regarding health-based zoning. By taking the matter to court, officials aim to establish a precedent that would allow the city to restrict new fast-food establishments in the future.

End to intake freeze at Levvel, youths with severe issues can once again be admitted in Amsterdam

Care organization Levvel has ended its intake freeze for Amsterdam youth following successful negotiations to secure more beds for those in need of severe residential care. While access has been restored, the municipality is demanding better coordination among providers and has initiated an independent financial audit of Levvel to ensure future stability.

Amsterdam municipality investigates ban on single-use packaging

The municipality of Amsterdam is investigating a potential city-wide ban on single-use packaging, such as to-go cups and containers, to combat persistent street litter. Legal research indicates that a local ban is possible, and officials are now evaluating implementation strategies like deposit systems or universal reusable packaging programs.

Municipality investigates ban on single-use packaging: "Cleaning up is not enough"

The Amsterdam municipality is exploring a potential ban on single-use takeaway packaging to combat rising levels of street litter. Following a positive legal review, officials are now investigating implementation strategies such as reusable container systems and deposit schemes, drawing inspiration from other European cities.

Municipal council information portal taken offline to prevent security breach

The Amsterdam municipal government has temporarily disabled its Notubiz information system as a precaution against global cyberattacks targeting PHP vulnerabilities. This outage affects public access to council documents and live meeting streams until the security risk is resolved.