Permanent Rodenticide Toxic Baiting New Rules Ireland

Permanent Rodenticide Toxic Baiting New Rules Ireland

You may have noticed that following the EU Biocide Directive, you can no longer purchase over the counter rat and mice poison in packs bigger than 300g. Also the concentration of active ingredient has been reduced from 0.05% to 0.025% all across Europe.

More importantly is rodenticide being used at your work premises?

You should be aware that Irish authorities (DAFM) have banned permanent baiting with rodenticide. All bait should normally be removed after 35 days and spot checks are already carried out routinely on commercial sites by DAFM inspectors.

A concise statement has been prepared and is available on the DAFM-PRCD website.

Highlights include:

• “Toxic baiting should only be for a max. 35 days period.”
• “Permanent toxic baiting is strictly limited to sites with a high potential for re-invasion when other methods of control have proven insufficient.”
• “When permanent toxic baiting is required and whilst it continues to be justified, the (written) Risk Assessment and baiting strategy should be reviewed every 35 days in the context of IPM”.
• “Sites implementing toxic baiting must be revisited every 4 weeks at a minimum during the treatment.”

This mean if that rodenticide can only be deployed if a written Risk Assessment has been carried out. This assessment should be updated (in writing) after 4 weeks if the rodenticide has not been removed.

Have you got this paperwork at hand ready for inspections?

Ignoring the new rules will constitute a breach of a statutory rodenticide label and expose you to possible prosecution from the DAFM.  Act now!