B.C. permanently bans use of rat poison

The province of B.C. has decided to make a temporary ban on the use of rat poison permanent.

Last July, the government imposed an 18-month ban on the useofrodenticides over concerns the poison is inadvertently killing owls, among other wildlife.

Thepermanent regulatory changes announced Fridaywill ban the widespread sale and use of second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides (SGARs),which the province says risk the secondary poisoning of animals who consume poisoned rodents.

The province spent the last 15 months conducting a review of SGARSand their impact by speaking with technical experts and holdinga public consultation which received almost 1,600 responses. It outlined proposed regulatory amendments in an intentions paper.

The permanent ban will come into effect on Jan. 21, 2023to align with the end of the temporary ban.

The ban applies to all sale and use of SGARs by members of the public, and most commercial and industrial operations in B.C., except for those services considered "essential" like hospitals and food production.

Essential services using SGARS will have to hire a licensed pest-control company, be licensed, havea site-specific integrated pest-management plan and recordthe use of the poison.

According to the government, the ban will reduce pesticide use by requiring individuals and businesses to resort to other methods of pest control, such as traps, less toxic rat poisons, and removing food sources.

Wildlifeimpacts

Rat poison has been widely criticized for how it moves through the food chain after it's ingested by a rat. Trace amounts are found in local wildlifeand can be harmful topredatorslike owls.

A 2009 studyon 164 owls in Western Canadafound that 70 per centhad residues of at least one rodenticide in their livers. Researchers found that nearly half of those owls had multiple rodenticides in their system.

Rat poison has also been found in higher-order predators likeweasels and coyotes, as well as scavenger species like birds and squirrels.

Opponents say the use of rat poisoncontradictsCanada's guidelines for hazardous materials.

The B.C.SPCA urges people torodent-proof their homesinstead of relying on rat poison.