Another Bay Area city moves against rodent poisons

By Suzanne Bohan
Contra Costa Times
Posted:   02/22/2012 03:55:39 PM PST
Updated:   02/22/2012 10:09:48 PM PST

Many Bay Area stores sell rodent poisons deemed a threat to children, and this week Richmond joined other cities in urging them to stop.
The measure approved by the City Council is similar to ones in San Francisco and Albany that also ask retailers to voluntarily halt sales.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has already banned mouse and rat poisons that pose the worst risk, including the most toxic types and loose pellets products. In 2008, it asked manufacturers to reformulate their products so that even the less-toxic poisons remained enclosed in bait stations inaccessible to children and pets. The agency told manufacturers to comply by June 2011.
While most did, a few refused, and the EPA said it's moving to remove those companies' products from the consumer market through regulatory action. But that may take time, and one Richmond councilman said Tuesday he wanted immediate action.
"This is an opportunity to actually get ahead of the curve," said Tom Butt, who sponsored the city's resolution.
Between 12,000 and 15,000 U.S. children are exposed to these rodent poisons annually, according to the American Association of Poison Control Centers. But those are only reported cases, Butt pointed out, with actual numbers considered far higher.
Children are at particular risk for consuming these poisons, as the products are typically placed on floors, the EPA stated. .
Pets also ingest them, and WildCare, a wildlife-rehabilitation center in San Rafael, found that 49 percent of animals they cared for tested positive for rodent poison. Levels are especially high in scavengers or predators such as hawks, owls, coyotes and foxes, which eat rodents contaminated with the bait.
Numerous pets and wildlife have been injured or killed by ingesting these products, according to the California Department of Fish and Game.
But residents can still safely fight back against pesky rodents, noted Richmond's mayor, Gayle McLaughlin, as there are more benign alternatives now available on store shelves. In addition, strategies such as sealing holes inside and outside a home can stop rodents from entering.
For more information on rat and mouse bait that meets EPA's safety standards, visit www.epa.gov/pesticides/mice-and-rats.
Contact Suzanne Bohan at 510-262-2789.
TARGETED RODENT POISONS
The Environmental Protection Agency is seeking through regulatory action to remove these rodent control products from retail outlets, saying they pose too great a health risk to children, pets and wildlife:
·  D-Con, Fleeject and Mimas products, made by Reckitt Benckiser
·  Hot Shot products, made by Spectrum Group
·  Generation, Maki and Rozol products, made by Liphatech
The EPA also intends to ban the sale of rodent control products containing brodifacoum, bromadiolone, difethialone and difenacoum directly to residential consumers because of their toxicity and their hazards to pets and wildlife. These pesticides will only be available for use by professional pest control applicators.
Source: The Environmental Protection Agency