Rodenticide Mitigation DecisionWhat Retailers Should KnowOctober 19, 2010Rusty WasemLaura ParsonsNeil Anderson- Pesticide Re-evaluation DivisionOutline•EPA & Pesticides – StatutoryRequirements•Rodenticides•Recap of Decision•What Decision Means for Retailers•EPA Communication EffortsEPA & Pesticides StatutoryRequirements•Federal Insecticide Fungicides & Rodenticide Act(FIFRA)•Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA)•All products that make pesticidal claims must beregistered with EPA.•Product labeling and use instructions.•Pesticide producers (“registrants”) must submit avariety of data to obtain a registration for aproduct.–Public health pesticides (like rodenticides) must besupported with efficacy data.•Statutorily required periodic reviews of pesticides.Rodenticides•1stGeneration Anticoagulants:warfarin, chlorophacinone, diphacinone–Lethal dose in multiple feedings, lesspersistent than 2ndGeneration.–Pest dies 5-7 days after lethal dose.•2ndGeneration Anticoagulants:brodifacoum, bromadiolone, difenacoum, difethialone–Lethal dose in 1 feeding, more persistent.–Pest dies 5-7 days after lethal dose.•Non-Anticoagulantsbromethalin, cholecalciferol, zinc phosphideTimeline for Implementation•Sept. 1997Original decision - more review needed•May/June 2008Publish decision – no comment period•Dec. 2009– Rodenticide producers submit compliant products•2.5 Years After Decision Published (~Dec. 4, 2010)•Deadline for EPA to issue decisions on registration applications oramendments•3 Years After Decision Published (~June 4, 2011)•Last day for voluntarily complying registrants to release intocommerce a product not complying with the risk mitigation decision•Products requesting voluntarily cancellation have until this date torelease into commerce•Existing stocks of non-compliant products released for shipment bythe registrant on or before this date can be sold until stocks areexhaustedRisk Mitigation – Children & Pets•Risks Identified:–accidental child exposure.Since 1993, 12k-15k casesper year reported.Rarely is a harmful amount of bait consumed.–accidental pet exposure.Often result in pet death.•Mitigation Required:–homeowner/retail rodenticide products must besold with a bait stationand may not contain morethan 1 lb of bait.–testing required to demonstrate tamperresistance of bait station.–prohibit certain forms (pellets, meal, treatedgrain) of bait that caneasily be removed fromstation.Risk Mitigation - Ecological•Risk Identified:–direct and secondary poisonings of non-target species.–well documented 2ndgen. anticoagulant presence in livers ofraptors, foxes, wild cats, deer.•Mitigation Required:–reduce availability of 2ndgen. anticoagulants to homeowners.–prohibit sale of 2ndgen. products in retail stores.–packaging size requirements for 2ndgen. products•8 lbs for agriculture products /16 lbs for professionals (PCOs)–outdoor (non-field) use must be within 50 ft. of buildingsWhat Decision Means forRetailers?•All changes will be made by therodenticide producer/registrant.•Non-conforming products released toretailers on or before June 4, 2011 maybe sold until exhaustion.•Products released to distributors orretailers post June 4, 2011 must includemitigation measures.Compliant Products•New Registrations – to date (10/18/10)we have registered 23 mitigationcompliant homeowner/retail products.•Registration decisions on othercompliant products are currentlypending.Communication Efforts by EPA•Webpage Updates–Rodenticides Homepage–http://www.epa.gov/oppsrrd1/reregistration/rodenticides/–Rodenticides Docket–EPA-HQ-OPP-2006-0955–http://www.regulations.gov/search/Regs/home.html#docketDetail?R=EPA-HQ-OPP-2006-0955•Direct ContactContact Info•Rusty WasemChemical Review Manager Rodenticides–wasem.russell@epa.gov–(703) 305-6979•Laura ParsonsTeam Leader Rodenticides–parsons.laura@epa.gov–(703) 305-5776•Neil AndersonBranch Chief, Risk Management &Implementation Branch Ianderson.neil@epa.gov–(703) 308-8187Photo Credits•Photos on slides 1, 2, 4, 7, 9 fromWikipedia.•Photo on slide 6 EnvironmentCanada webpage.Bait Stations•Tiered bait station requirements for all “residentialconsumer” products•Tier I – Tamper-Resistance and Weather-Resistant–These bait stations are resistant to weather and to tamperingby 

# children and dogs. To be used 

# indoors and outdoors(within 50 feet of buildings).•Tier II – Tamper-Resistant (but not weather resistant)–These bait station are resistant to tampering by 

# children and

dogs. To be used 

# indoors only.•Tier III – Tamper-Resistant for Children Only–These bait stations are resistant to tampering by 

# children. Tobe used 

# indoors only.•Tier IV – Tamper-Resistance Unknown–These bait stations 

# may not claim to be tamper resistant. Tobe used 

# indoors onlyand 

# only in areas inaccessible to

children and pets.