Pest controllers in Brabant expect that the nuisance caused by rats will increase sharply by the middle of this year. Since this year, only companies with the correct papers are allowed to use chemical agents to control rats and mice. “That will be a thing. We expect a peak,” says Rianne Bruers of Pro Curo Plague Prevention.
Since 1 January of this year, private individuals are no longer allowed to buy new rat and mouse poison. Old packaging may still be sold until the end of June. After that, pest controllers expect an increase in the number of rodents on the street.
The rules have changed because the poison is dangerous to human and animal health and harmful to the environment. Moreover, the nuisance with the poison is not solved permanently.
Bruers explains that the poison contained too few active substances for consumers, which is why rats built up resistance with it. “It is therefore more difficult to combat the animals with our substances. Birds of prey that eat rats or mice also ingest the toxic substances.”
“Otherwise it’s mopping with the tap open.”
But if people can no longer deal with the rat problem at home, the problem will only get worse, according to pest controllers. Bruers expects a large increase in the number of rats. “If nobody can and is not allowed to do anything at home, a rat infestation is less likely to be suppressed with poison.”
According to her, companies will have to rely on advice. “We have to tell people how they can prevent a rat infestation in other ways. For example, by making your garden less attractive.”
Pest controller Adriaan Wijnen from Dongen is also convinced that we will see more rats. “It will be difficult for people who have chickens or birds, for example,” he says. Wine itself does not use poison anyway. According to him, we should start preventing pests instead of fighting them. “Think of storing all the food better and closing holes. Otherwise it’s mopping with the tap open.”
“I have to see it all first.”
Enforcers also expect poison to become considerably more expensive. “New rules and inspections result in extra costs for the fighters to be allowed to work with poison,” says an employee of Pest Control Central Brabant. “That must be passed on to the customers. Then people will drop out, resulting in even more rats.”
That would make the problem worse. “The idea of reducing poison use is of course good, but the problem is that we will soon have so many vermin that we will only have to use more poison. So it is not that simple. I have to see it all first,” says the pest controller.
READ ALSO: No more poison or clamps, but an air rifle to shoot rats