September 2021

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 Cimex Solutions – Keswick

 Andy’s Pest Control – Peterborough

 Valley Town Pest Control – Dundas

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Dusana Bondy, SPMAO President

Being in the pest management industry awards us with the opportunity to provide public health and protect society from potentially disease causing pest infestations.

We are professionals in our field and with that, we provide clear and accurate information to our clients. What we say, what we post and what we advertise should be factually correct and based on science.

Information is obtained through education, conferences and workshops presented by SPMAO as well as from information provided by industry textbooks and pest control suppliers.

Review our Code of Ethics and strive to protect public health and continue to raise the industry by offering accurate information to the public.

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2nd Annual Women In Pest Control Conference

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FYI – B.C. Government Action on Rodenticides to Protect Wildlife

The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy (the ministry) is advising you of a Minister’s Order, created under the Integrated Pest Management Act (IPMA) section 8, which bans the use of certain rodenticides to prevent wildlife poisonings. The ministry is committed to protecting wildlife by reducing risks to wildlife from rodenticide (rat poison) use.

Wildlife, primarily owls and other raptors, have been dying due to consuming rodents poisoned by second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides (SGARs). In response, the minister issued a Minister’s Order effective July 21, 2021 banning the sale and use of SGARs in B.C. that contain the active ingredients brodifacoum, bromadiolone or difethialone. The Minister’s Order will be in place for 18-months while ministry staff undertake a scientific review to better understand the risks of SGARs to wildlife and identify appropriate mitigation methods. Recommendations based on the outcome of the science review will be used to inform future policy options.

Exemptions to the ban are being provided for “essential services” and agricultural operators. SGARs cannot be sold or used for any other purposes while the temporary ban is in effect. Essential services have been identified to avoid disruption to critical safety and food supply functions in the province and were based on the Covid-19 essential services provincial list. Essential services include businesses and services for public health and safety, critical infrastructure, food supply, transportation, sanitation, communications and information technology and mortuary related services. Please visit https://www.gov.bc.ca/RodentIPM for the complete list of essential services.

Some key changes for vendors/dispensers include:

• SGARs must now be displayed in a manner that restricts customer access. For example, pesticides could be displayed behind a counter or in a locked cabinet. A certified pesticide dispenser must assist purchasers and verify that the use is authorized.
• Vendors selling SGARs must now display ministry produced signage regarding the rodenticide ban and risks to wildlife.
• Vendors are only allowed to sell SGARs to essential services, agricultural operators or licensed service companies that apply pesticides for them and are required to check purchasers meet this requirement.
• SGARs cannot be purchased by members of the public for use on residential properties.

Some key changes for users include:

• Individuals wishing to purchase a SGAR must now show proof of certification (except for agricultural operators). Agricultural operators must now provide proof of qualifying agricultural status.
• Essential service purchasers must demonstrate that the business or service is an essential service (for example, a letter on company letterhead, business card or employee ID card).
• All users of SGARs must now keep a record for each use. A record-keeping template is available in the ministry website.
• Licenced pest control companies may only use SGARs when providing pest control for agricultural operations or identified essential services.
• SGARs can no longer be bought or used for non-essential purposes. This includes, but is not limited to, most residential buildings, office buildings, parks, schools and non-food retail shops.

In addition to imposing a temporary ban on use of SGARS, ministry staff are taking action to address risks associated with the use of rodenticides, including:

• Conducting compliance inspections of vendors and users to ensure the products are only being used by certified operators for essential services and that an integrated pest management (IPM) approach is being utilized prior to pesticide use;
• Raising awareness with rodenticide users on the impacts of misusing rodenticides with an emphasis that prevention is the best long-term strategy;
• Coordinating with Indigenous Peoples, local government, and provincial and national wildlife experts;
• Developing education materials for the public and agricultural operators to better manage rodents as part of an IPM program; and
• Updating materials used by individuals intending to become certified to apply or sell rodenticides.

Details of the ban, including a recorded presentation explaining these changes, support materials outlining how the rules have changed and best practices to manage rodents are available at https://www.gov.bc.ca/RodentIPM. We will also be offering a series of webinars between Aug. 3 – 10th on the Minister’s Order which are tailored for specific audiences. Please visit the website for registration instructions.

Additional questions or comments about the Minister’s Order temporarily banning the sale and use of SGARs, can be submitted to BC.IPM@gov.bc.ca.

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Stay tuned for info on SPMAO Fall Workshops

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