Rodenticide poisons are no longer the preferred option as a pest control tool. Many customers are beginning to expect sustainable solutions to pest control problems. This eco-friendly demand might not be the easiest one to fulfill if you have been used to poisons as the mainstay of your pest control strategy. Even though poisons will still be part of the toolbox for many years to come, they can in many cases be replaced with a digital monitoring and trapping solution to provide effective pest control. Read more about the legislation concerning rodenticides in other countries in relation to Denmark and possible alternatives.
Rodenticide – legislation and resistance
In Denmark, the use of rodenticide is only allowed once rodent activity is confirmed and then only for a limited time, 35 days. Treatments must always start with FGAR’s and only if and when resistance is suspected can SGAR’s be brought into use. A new active substance that is not an anticoagulant, Cholecalciferol (vitamin D3) has recently been approved, though there is some reluctance to use this as there is no antidote available. How long will rodenticides be a part of your toolbox?
Rodent populations with resistance to anticoagulants are a growing problem throughout Europe, this together with the increasing restrictions on their usage is changing the way PCO’s work and is leading to much greater use of snap traps and digital snap traps to solve problems. You can start to make the transition from poisons to digital traps easier if you start out by using just a few digital traps in combination with traditional traps or bait boxes. This way, you get to test the monitoring and early warning system in the field. This allows you to use your knowledge and experience and take measures to remove the problem without resorting to the use of poisons.
Read more about how digitalization can make your job easier as PCO
Anticoagulant rodenticide poisons
Anticoagulants disrupt the normal coagulation of the blood causing internal bleeding and pain. They are slow-acting taking anywhere between 3 to 18 days cause death depending on the situation. Some believe that this is against the Animal Welfare Act, as the animal should be put down quickly and painlessly.
As there are currently no effective alternatives they are still widely used, though as new tools and methods are being introduced their usage is becoming more and more restricted through legislation. When using poisons, it can be difficult to determine when the pest control has been completed, repeated visits may be necessary to check whether the bait is still being eaten or not. It can also be difficult for them to explain this to their customer and prove that the pest control strategy has been useful, and the problem solved. Digital traps provide you with a specific location of where the rat or several rats have been caught, proving to your customer that you are working actively on solving the rat problem. You also save time driving around to check for bite marks or empty traps.
Rodenticides still make sense in some heavily infested cases, but digital traps can help reduce the number of heavy infestations by immediately alerting you to any activity, allowing action to be taken before rats or mice can breed and become a serious problem.
An alternative for rodenticides
Digital traps are an alternative to rodenticides in some cases, and they are a sustainable tool that can be reused as soon as the catch has been removed. Traps are active 24/7 and as soon as you have activated the trap, it starts to send data and sends an immediate alarm in the case of a catch. So, you only need to pay attention to catches and trends. Allowing you to use your knowledge and experience in the most effective way. TrapMe traps have a battery life of up to 3 years; saving time checking traps, as you only need to spend time on them when they report a catch.
Sources:
- Anticimex. (n.d.). ROTTEBEKENDTGØRELSEN .
- EBPF. (n.d.). Guideline on Best Practice in the Use of Rodenticide Baits as Biocides in the European Union.
- Landbrug & Fødevarer. (n.d.). Hvad betyder nye krav til rottebekæmpelse?
- Miljøstyrelsen. (2018). Evaluation of the Danish resistance strategy Anticoagulant use in rat control.
- Miljøstyrelsen. (2020, May 18). Ny type rottegift godkendt.
- Nisgaard, A. (2020, August 8). Rotter lider en 4-6 dage lang og pinefuld død: ‘Vi bliver nødt til at anvende de her gifte.
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