NEWS | PPC109 October 2022

A new Prime Minister means a whole host of new government ministers to start making relationships with. British politics is still incredibly turbulent. However, BPCA’s lobbying work continues.

Stay up-to-date with all things pest in the UK parliament and devolved administrations. PPC helps keep you firmly in the loop.

▶ Glue traps

Wales

The Agriculture (Wales) Bill has been published, committing to a complete prohibition of using snares and glue traps.

Unlike the Glue Traps (Offences) Act, the Agriculture (Wales) Bill has no provision for pest professionals to use glue boards under licence at this time. 

BPCA has been invited to give evidence defending glue boards at the Welsh Parliament in November.

Ian Andrew, BPCA Chief Exec, said: “We’ve repeatedly explained to the Welsh government that pest professionals have no alternative tool in their kits to protect vulnerable people and vital infrastructure when speed is essential. 

“Through our conversations with UK MPs and Ministers, we successfully campaigned for the Glue Traps (Offences) Bill (now Act) to be amended to include a licensing scheme in England. 

“The Welsh government seems much less open to helping us protect its citizens from public health pests. Giving evidence at the Welsh Parliament is probably our last opportunity to have our voices heard.”

Lesley Griffiths MS, Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd, said in a statement: “Wales will be the first of the UK nations to completely ban the use of snares and glue traps”.

Scotland

Scotland has announced a plan to ban glue traps through a Wildlife Management (Grouse) Bill in 2022/23. Scottish Ministers have previously announced that their intention is to ban the use and sale of glue traps.

At the time of writing civil servants have indicated a consultation on the proposed ban on rodent glue boards should be published soon. However, a date has not yet been confirmed.

England

BPCA continues to regularly communicate with Defra civil servants to work out how the licences for pest professionals under the Glue Traps (Offences) Act will work in practice. 

While the Act has received Royal Assent, you can continue to use glue traps during the two-year lead-in period set out by the Government, during which the licensing scheme will be created and rolled out. 

Given the intentions of the Welsh and Scottish governments, Defra has indicated they’re exploring whether there are any opportunities to align. What this means in practice is still unclear. 

Northern Ireland 

The Northern Irish government has indicated they have no current plans to ban glue boards.

▶ Temporary accommodation standards

On 21 September Sam Tarry MP (Ilford South) asked the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that properties (a) are pest-free and (b) provide a safe environment for residents.

Lee Rowley MP (North East Derbyshire) and Parliamentary Under Secretary of State in the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities replied:

“Local authorities have a statutory duty to provide temporary accommodation for households owed the main homelessness duty until suitable long-term accommodation can be offered to them. They must ensure accommodation is suitable in relation to the applicant and to all members of their household who normally reside with them, or who might reasonably be expected to reside with them, and there is a right of appeal.

“Housing authorities should, as a minimum, ensure that all temporary accommodation is free of Category 1 hazards as identified by the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS). 

“We have given local authorities very strong powers to take enforcement action when they identify seriously hazardous conditions, including the power to issue heavy fines.”

▶ Biocides

Many active substances used for pest management are coming up for renewal. Under the GB BPR, active substance approvals will expire unless a renewal application is submitted at least 550 days before the expiry date.

BPCA anticipates that the majority of these active ingredients will be renewed. However, the additional costs involved in registering a product specifically for the smaller UK market (under GB BPR) post-Brexit means that some actives may not be financially viable for renewal.

Approval holders for biocidal products and active ingredients post-Brexit have to pay their existing ECHA fee to gain access to the EU-27, and a further £200,000 for the renewal of active substances under the UK framework for access to the GB market. 

BPCA continues to lobby the HSE to develop and implement a system that doesn’t jeopardise UK trade or risk human health.

28 December 2022:

• Cholecalciferol (CAS 67-97-0 EC 200-673-2) in product type 14
• Warfarin (CAS 81-81-2 EC 201-377-6) in product type 14
• Difenacoum (CAS 56073-07-5 EC 259-978-4) in product type 14
• Bromadiolone (CAS 28772-56-7 EC 249-205-914) in product type 14
• Difethialone (CAS 104653-34-1 EC n/a) in product type 14
• Brodifacoum (CAS 56073-10-0 EC 259-980-5) in product type 14
• Flocoumafen (CAS 90035-08-8 EC 421-960-014) in product type 14 
• Chlorophacinone (CAS 3691-35-8 EC 223-003-0) in product type 14 
• Coumatetralyl (CAS 5836-29-3 EC 227-424-0) in product type 14 
• Polyhexamethylene biguanide hydrochloride with a mean number-average molecular weight (Mn) of 1600 and a mean polydispersity (PDI) of 1.8 (PHMB (1600;1.8)) (CAS 27083-27-8 / 32289-58-0 EC n/a) in product types 2, 3 and 11 
• Muscalure (CAS 27519-02-4 EC 248-505-7) in product type 19.

▶ HSE new hazard classifications

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is considering adding new hazard classifications for chemicals. ‘Endocrine disruptors’ is one of the proposed new hazard warnings relevant to pest control products.

The impact of this could be that we see more restrictions on use and more substances at risk as manufacturers choose not to support certain products or actives.

▶ European Union (EU)  rodenticide renewals

The EU is examining anticoagulants and looking at putting them into a risk hierarchy based on overall risk. They’re also closely looking at the use of hardware and traps as part of IPM as alternatives. 

There’s a social-economic analysis of AVKs being conducted which is almost solely looking at the economic factors. This will form part of the consideration in keeping AVKs available across the EU. BPCA will publish more on this report when it’s available.

REACH OUT

If you'd like to chat to us about our lobbying work, drop us an email.

hello@bpca.org.uk

Source: PPC109