The guidance on permanent baiting issued by the Campaign for Responsible Rodenticide Use (CRRU) in September 2018 has been changed. Where indoor permanent baiting has proved necessary, the frequency of inspections is now down to the pest professionals expertise. Previously, as with outdoor permanent baiting, inspections had to take place at intervals of at least four weeks.
The new guidance document, which can be downloaded from the CRRU website and the Pest Library, now clearly distinguishes between the indoor and outdoor use of permanent baiting.
A new section explains why indoor permanent baiting poses much less of a risk to wildlife, including:
- It is generally used to combat house mouse with bait stations designed to only allow entry to animals that are the same size or smaller than a mouse;
- Only small quantities of rodenticide are used;
- Non-target animals are usually virtually absent from indoor baited areas
However, in both indoor and outdoor situations, CRRU chairman Dr Alan Buckle emphasises that the fundamental requirement remains that the professional rodenticide user responsible for the site must have identified and documented ‘a high potential for reinvasion where other methods are insufficient’.
 CRRU chairman Dr Alan Buckle |
 Download your copy for the Pest library |
The update applies to indoor locations only. It specifies that the frequency of routine inspections and re-visits when target pest presence is indicated are a matter for the pest control technician in charge of the control programme.
This update comes about in response to feedback from professional pest controllers at a British Pest Control Association (BPCA) forum.
Unchanged is that permanent bait points outdoors continue to require re-inspection at least every four weeks. Professional riodenticide users are also reminded that permanent baiting in any location is permitted only using products with labels specifically stating such use is allowed.
It’s good to see that those involved in the management of the Campaign for Responsible Rodenticide Use (CRRU) are open to ideas from others in the industry and prepared to take action when best practice guidance needs to be changed.
Everyone involved in CRRU is from our industry and contrary to the belief of some CRRU’s objective is not to make life as difficult as possible for those at the sharp end of pest management.