ninguno

A guide to carrying out an
environmental assessment prior
to the use of rodenticides

Oct 2012

Environmental assessments

Irrespective of the type of baiting techniques used, an
environmental assessment should always be carried
out before treatments using rodenticide baits begin.
The purpose of an environmental assessment is to
determine possible environmental effects and identifywhich precautions are necessary to protect wildlife
and the wider environment. The main considerations
are:
• 
where and what the rodent problems are
• 
which protected species may be present in or near
the treatment site
• 
what alternative environmental measures would be
appropriate
• 
what is the risk to non-target species that have
been identified
• 
what is the treatmentdesigned to achieve and how
will success be measured
• 
what is expected from the client (i.e. the owner or
occupier of the infested premises/area)
• 
what follow up measures are required
Proper record keeping is a fundamental way that users
of rodenticides can help themselves in meeting their
legal obligations. Failing to keep adequate records of
the type of bait used and locations ofbait points may
form the basis of a case against the user.
How to carry out an environmental assessment
Although it deals primarily with the use of agricultural
pesticides, the ‘Code of Practice for Using Plant
Protection Products’ (section 3.8), available to
download on www.pesticides.gov.uk, gives useful
advice which will help operators using rodenticides in
rural areas.
The followingrecommendations, specific to
rodenticide use, are not definitive but have been
agreed with Natural England as providing a useful
guide to carrying out an appropriate assessment.
Where and what are the problems?
The first requirement of any assessment is to establish
what is the extent and location of the rodent pest
problem.
In all but the simplest of situations a site plan should
be drawnup which identifies which buildings and
areas need to be treated. This plan should clearly
show the layout of the site, and any buildings or
other features that are relevant. The site plan should
identify the position of all baiting points.

2

Some treatments may be near areas with a special
status in law, for example
• 
Local Nature Reserves (LNR)
• 
Marine Nature Reserves (MNR)• 
National Nature Reserves (NNR)
• 
Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)
• 
Special Areas of Conservation (SAC)
• 
Special Protection Areas (SPA)
These sites must be protected from any possible
harmful effects resulting from using rodenticides in
or near them. If in doubt, Natural England, Scottish
Natural Heritage, the Countryside Council for
Wales and the NorthernIreland Department of the
Environment should be consulted.
Normally, the owner or occupier of the area to
be treated is responsible for giving notice to the
appropriate conservation agency and getting any
permission needed before pesticides are applied.
However, if the treatment will be carried out by
a person or company applying pesticides as a
commercial service, the person applying thepesticide
should:
• 
discuss with the owner or occupier of the area to be
treated whether the area or its surroundings need
special consideration
•  if the necessary notice has been given and any
ask
necessary permission received
Detailed treatment records are particularly important
if pesticide is being used on, or near, such sites.
The site plan should also clearly state the inspectionregime to be followed, always remembering that
regular inspection of bait stations and searches for
rodent carcasses should be undertaken.
Which protected species may be present in or near
the treatment site?
Wildlife and domestic or companion animals that may
be affected by a rodent treatment will include:
• 
raptors such as owls, kestrels, red kites, and hawks
• 
mammals such as...