As a result of the review, a stewardship program was introduced in April 2016-2017. Under this scheme, quantities for professional use (greater than 1 kg) can only be sold to users (farmers, game wardens, pest control professionals, etc.) who can prove that they have completed approved training. It is hoped that training and the use of improved materials, such as environmental impact assessments and good practice guides, will significantly reduce unwanted poisoning of non-target species. The program is led by CRRU (Campaign for Responsible Rodenticide Use), a group founded by rodenticide manufacturers. The effectiveness of the program is mainly monitored by the concentrations of rodenticides detected in the livers of dead barn owls sent by the public to the PBMS (Predatory Bird Monitoring Scheme). Prior to the introduction of stewardship, 81% of barn owls, based on a seven-year baseline, contained one or more RBS. Results from the first year of monitoring following stewardship implementation (2017) showed no reduction in exposure to Barn Owl, with 90% of carcasses containing one or more second-generation anticoagulants. The latest figure (from 2019) is 87%. It is clear that training for rodenticide users has so far proved ineffective. For your own safety and to ensure that the above laws and regulations are respected, we always advise against taking charge of pest control.
However, we know that some people still try from time to time. But if you do, you risk breaking some laws you may not be aware of, and so you will be prosecuted. The risk is not worth it. Biocidal products that control rodents by other means, e.g. poisons, are called rodenticides and fall under product type 14. However, rodenticides are not without problems, such as the risk of secondary poisoning for other species, so they must be used correctly. Always follow the instructions and requirements on all product labels A very large number of EU Member States are opposed to the use of GARS, and in 2012 the prospect of an EU-wide ban sent shockwaves through rodenticide and rodent control industries, particularly because there are no new rodent poisons in sight. Rats are clearly a threat to human health, and their colonisation of some of Britain`s small Isles, with devastating consequences for ground-nesting seabirds, shows that they can also cause real damage to some of our native species. It is an inescapable fact that rats must be controlled. How to control rats in the safest way possible. Despite the fact that poisoning is not the best way to treat most infestations, the use of poisons continues. In fact, the EU has now allowed Member States to continue to allow the use of the SGAR for periods of up to 5 years, provided that certain criteria are met, including minimising environmental risks through mitigation measures.
Pesticides, insecticides or other chemicals used for pest control are bad for our health; as such, COSHH must be followed. Chemical baits and poisons must be placed and contained appropriately so as not to harm humans (or non-target species). Similarly, when spraying chemicals, it is important to be specific and targeted. A dispersed approach to spraying harmful chemicals is a violation of COSHH, and any reputable pest control will avoid this. The extent to which SGAR have contaminated small mammal predators is shocking. The proportion of barn owls infected reached an alarming high of 94% in 2015. The most recent figure (2019) is 87%. Previous results from the predatory bird monitoring program show that 100% of the kestrels studied in 2011 were contaminated as well as 94% of the red kites! The problem is not limited to a specific area.
The bodies analysed were sent by the public across the UK. In other words, virtually all populations of these 3 sentinel species fed on rodents containing rat poison. Sparrowhawks (93%), buzzards (48%), peregrine falcons (35%) and even hedgehogs (57%) contain SGAR poisons. In fact, research has shown that in any given year, there is a negative correlation between the kestrel population index and the total SGAR concentration in the same year (Roos et al., 2020), suggesting that SGARs may have a population-limiting effect on kestrels. What other species are potentially affected? Read more about the background to the rat poison problem As the rodenticide industry is quick to point out, there is no evidence that sublethal doses have an effect on barn owls. But in reality, there is no evidence that this does not concern them. Nesting cameras, such as those used by BBC SpringWatch, have revealed distinct differences in barn owl behaviour, and it`s clear that some are much more energetic than others. We know that safe medical doses of the anticoagulant warfarin can have side effects in humans, including nausea, and that the toxins found in barn owls are 100 to 1,000 times more toxic than warfarin. Even if the behavioural changes are minor, since 76% of farms use highly toxic rodenticides and 78-94% of barn owls are contaminated, the overall effect could be dramatic since almost the entire population is affected. The vast majority of rat poisons used today (such as Neosorexa and Slaymor) are highly toxic SGARs – “second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides”. You must protect other animals from traps or poisons you use for parasites by: A warning has been issued that from 1 March 2018, Commission Regulation 2016/1179 will mean that only professional users will be allowed to buy packaging of 3kg or more.
If you are not a certified professional, you may not be able to purchase more than 150 g of grain and paste bait formulations or 300 g of bulk bait. These also contain only half the amount of active ingredient (poison) compared to professional formulas. The laws listed above are primarily aimed at professionals responsible for our health and safety, but there are also laws and customs in the UK that influence how individuals and private pest control companies deal with pests.