NPMA Supports EPA Recommendations on Rodenticide; Decision Further Encourages Protection of Public Health

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced new restrictions limiting the sale of rodenticides in May 2008. Further, these restrictions require that all rodenticide products, which can be sold directly to consumers, be sold in tamper resistant bait stations. Integral to this decision is a continued effort by the EPA to protect children, pets and wildlife from accidental exposure to rodent-control products - an effort that the National Pest Management Association (NPMA), a longtime protector of public health and property, firmly supports.

"Rodents certainly pose a significant public health risk," says Bob Rosenberg, senior vice president of government affairs for NPMA. "The EPA's decision on rodenticides balances the availability of vital tools to deal with hazardous rodent problems with the need to minimize the potential exposure to children and non-target wildlife. This is an important decision as it recognizes requisite professionalism in treatment and allows the pest management industry to retain the means for providing effective and affordable services that protect consumers from rodent-borne dangers."

Since 1998, NPMA and EPA have worked together closely as rodenticide products have undergone considerable reevaluation to ensure that all pesticides meet current health and safety standards. This working relationship has proven beneficial, as it not only focuses upon protecting public health but also promoting the highest level of professionalism within the pest management industry.