A win against rodenticides?
Original post - 13th July 2023, updated 10th January 2024.
In June last year, the Campaign for Responsible Rodenticide Use (CRRU) UK issued a press statement that as of the end of 2024, legal authorisation would be withdrawn for the use of all four major Second-Generation Anticoagulant Rodenticides (SGARs) in “open areas and waste dumps”. This includes the four most commonly found rodenticides: brodifacoum, bromadiolone, difethialone and difenacoum. The statement reads:
‘The change was instigated voluntarily by the Campaign for Responsible Rodenticide Use UK, with support to make the necessary amendments from UK biocides regulator, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). CRRU Chairman Dr Alan Buckle states that the change was a unanimous decision by all CRRU Directors to help meet rodenticide stewardship’s environmental targets.
‘“A primary factor leading to this is the stubbornly static incidence of rodenticide residues in around 80 per cent of barn owls, the HSE-nominated sentinel species for annual surveillance,” he explains. “This change will enable a single clear message about SGAR use: None of these products can be applied away from buildings.”’
The statement goes on to say that sales of products containing these poisons will cease on 4th July 2024, and any bought before that date will be authorised for use in open areas and waste dumps until 31 December 2024, after which it will be illegal to use any SGAR product to treat a rodent infestation not associated with a building.
‘At the beginning of the UK Rodenticide Stewardship Regime the CRRU UK Board of Directors decided that manufacturers would not apply for authorisations for products containing the active substances brodifacoum, difethialone and flocoumafen to be used in “open areas” and at “waste dumps”. This was because it considered that these high-potency anticoagulants were most likely to result in risk to wildlife when used in these scenarios. The CRRU board has now unanimously decided to extend this policy to products containing bromadiolone and difenacoum, thereby applying a consistent approach to all second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides (SGARs).’
In addition, the CRRU UK has announced from January 2026, all users of SGAR products will need to hold an up-to-date training certificate.
Could this mean a campaign win for us??
We are in talks with Dr Buckle of the CRRU UK to iron out the exact practical implications of the new ruling, including the definitions of “away from buildings” and “waste dumps”. We also want to ensure that whatever alternative gamekeepers turn to once SGARs are no longer available to them, are not also problematic for wildlife. Prevention of infestations through good land management is of course the best strategy here, as well as natural deterrents such as peppermint spray, cayenne pepper, strobe lighting and encouraging natural predators.
We will continue to follow the process of implementing this new rule until its introduction at the end of 2024 and ensure the minimisation of wildlife exposure as far as possible. But for now this would seem like very good news for our campaign!
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