The pellets, which contain an active substance called "triptolide", are planned to be placed in areas of the city with dense rat populations, sterilizing both male and female rats and affecting ovarian function and sperm cell production.
This is not the first time New York City has tried birth control, but it has been noted that rats, which have the potential to produce 15,000 offspring a year, always prevail.
In 1967, Governor Nelson Rockefeller announced a plan to give rats birth control pills by dissolving a type of estrogen used in human birth control in vegetable oil and soaking meat and grains in it.
Mayor Eric Adams, who declared war on rats when he took office, said, "We will continue to work with all our partners in government on strategies to reduce rats and review legislation."
If successful, other cities including Boston, Columbus, Ohio, and Hartford, Conn. will test birth control methods to sterilize rats.
