Independent Review Recommends Strengthened Rodenticide Stewardship

The UK Rodenticide Stewardship Government Oversight Group chaired by HSE reviewed the Campaign for Responsible Rodenticide Use UK and concluded the stewardship scheme should continue with additional measures to improve monitoring, analysis and support for trained professional users. The review found benefits in governance and workforce competence but reported no measurable reduction in second generation anticoagulant residues in barn owls against the pre stewardship baseline, a performance metric that has not been met.

An independent review by the UK Rodenticide Stewardship Government Oversight Group chaired by the Health and Safety Executive has concluded that the current stewardship regime for professional rodenticide use should continue, but with stronger monitoring and better support for users. HSE is publishing the Oversight Group's findings on its behalf.

The review found the stewardship approach has produced clear safeguards by governing the supply chain so professional products are sold only through approved outlets to trained users working within integrated pest management, improving workforce competence and establishing consistent environmental monitoring. However the group reported there has not been a measurable reduction in total second generation anticoagulant rodenticide residues in barn owls compared with the pre stewardship baseline, so that particular performance measure has not been met. The review states this does not mean risks have gone unmitigated and that without the existing restrictions and training risks to human health animal health and the environment would likely be greater.

GOG recommended that stewardship and the Campaign for Responsible Rodenticide Use UK should continue but be strengthened, including extending environmental monitoring funding new residue analysis developing better insight into priority user groups and improving how information is delivered to users. HSE has said it will consider the report and its recommendations as part of routine renewal assessments of anticoagulant rodenticide products when deciding whether authorisation should continue and how to improve monitoring and support for professional users.

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