The U.S. EPA is proposing to make significant changes to Rodenticide Registrations:
- Canceling products and uses.
- Adding more requirements to the labels.
- Reclassifying some products to Restricted Use Pesticides.
Why we need rodenticides:
- Rats cause roughly $20 billion in damage to homes, businesses, and agriculture every year.
- Rodents are suspected to be the cause of many structural fires of unknown origin.
- Rodents spread over 35 diseases worldwide.
- Bird flu has been detected in rats in Riverside County, California.
- A single female house mouse can give birth to 150 offspring in a single year.
Below is a summary of what has happened during EPA's Registration Review of the Rodenticides and what happens next.
On November 29, 2022, the EPA released its Proposed Interim Decisions (PIDs) for rodenticides, which if implemented, will have major impacts on all those who apply, sell, or distribute rodenticides. The mitigation measures EPA has proposed in each PID are summarized here. After consideration of public comments received on the PIDs in 2023, the EPA plans to re-issue new PIDs with revised proposed mitigation measures for public comment in 2025. Following consideration of the new public comments, EPA will publish an Interim Decision (ID) for each rodenticide or group of rodenticides, which finalizes any risk mitigation measures they decide to require.
On November 29, 2023, the EPA released its draft Biological Evaluation (BE) for the rodenticides and the draft Rodenticide Strategy. The BE was made final on November 21, 2024. The BE contains mitigation measures that are the Rodenticide Strategy. As the Agency’s Strategy document for the rodenticides, it will set the policy for how the Agency regulates rodenticides into the foreseeable future. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) will use the information in the BE during the formal Endangered Species Act (ESA) consultation with EPA, which will result in a Biological Opinion. The Docket can be accessed here.
The Rodenticide Task Force and other stakeholders continue efforts to work with EPA on general mitigation measures for consideration in the PIDs, and are preparing for the ESA consultation between EPA and USFWS.