BC Permanently BANS Rodenticides!

Again this proves that activism REALLY DOES work! After lots of hard work of getting cities to ban rodenticides by multiple people; the province has listened and turned their temporary ban into a permanent one. It still isn't perfect because there are still too many exceptions but it is a HUGE step forward to help protect wildlife and raptors. If you follow my blog you will remember how long it took for the City of Richmond and Port Moody and all the other cities who followed suit to get this change. All the cities who banned the use in their cities asked the provincial government to make a province-wide ban. It was a lot of hard work but it was worth it because we are now here today. We can't stop fighting until there is a federal ban and the province removes or heavily restricts more of these exceptions.

For now though, the province has permanently banned rodenticides effective Jan 21, 2023. 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, agriculture and food production.

You can read about it HERE in a government press release or HERE in a CBC article and further down below from the ministry explaining the few exceptions

The Integrated Pest Management Regulation (IPMR) has been under review to update the requirements relating to rodent management in response to the impacts to owls and other wildlife from exposure to certain rodenticides.

The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy (the ministry) wishes to notify you that the IMPR will be amended to restrict the sale and use of second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides (SGARs) that contain the active ingredients brodifacoum, bromadiolone or difethialone. The new requirements come into force on January 21, 2023 to align with the expiry of the Minister's Order, which was issued on July 21, 2021.

On May 4, 2022, the ministry released an Intentions Paper (IP), which highlighted the proposed changes to the IPMR. For an overview of the submission feedback, please review the What We Heard Report found on our consultation web page: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/environment/pesticides-pest-management/legislation-consultation/consultation. The ministry is intending to proceed with the proposed regulatory amendments to the IPMR as outlined in the IP with no significant changes. Feedback received will be used to clarify the proposed amendments and develop guidance material to support those managing rodents.

The purpose of the new requirements is to significantly reduce SGAR usage in B.C. to minimize exposure to wildlife. The new requirements prohibit all public and most commercial uses of SGARs in B.C., with limited exemptions for Essential Services. This includes agricultural operators managing rodents. Essential Services who use SGARs will be subject to the following: 

  • Mandatory certification requirements;
  • Mandatory licensing requirements;
  • Mandatory use of prevention and implementation of alternative controls as a first step in rodent control;
  • Mandatory development of a site-specific IPM plan;
  • Safe disposal of SGARs and poisoned rodents;
  • Prohibited use in critical wildlife habitat; and
  • Limited SGAR application periods. 

Additionally, for pesticide vendors, there will be enhanced requirements and restrictions at the point of sale.

Staff will continue to help affected parties transition those to the new requirements. This includes publishing support documents outlining how the rules have changed.

Ministry staff will continue to conduct compliance inspections of SGAR vendors and users to ensure that these products are being used according to the Minister's Order which remains in effect until January 20, 2023. Following this period, compliance officers will continue to verify compliance and undertake compliance promotion activities for the new requirements.

Information on the new regulations will be available soon at: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/environment/pesticides-pest-management/legislation-consultation/15570

Questions about the new SGAR requirements can be submitted to BC.IPM@GOV.BC.CA

A Barn Owl in BC (a species heavily impacted by rodenticides) - Photo: Melissa Hafting

Comments

  1. AnonymousOctober 30, 2022 at 11:31 AM

    Great work in getting these banned in BC!

    ReplyDelete
  2. LonelytravellerOctober 30, 2022 at 11:32 AM

    Excellent work!! Good BC has finally banned these

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousNovember 1, 2022 at 10:24 AM

    👍👍👍

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Brian BemmelsJanuary 13, 2023 at 12:26 PM

      This is great! Thanks for you work in getting this accomplished.

      Delete
    2. Melissa HaftingJanuary 15, 2023 at 12:35 AM

      Thank you so much Brian! It was a lot of years of work so I really appreciate this!

      Delete

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