01 Oct Whistleblower process introduced for rodenticide point-of-sale breaches
A reporting process for suspected breaches of UK Rodenticide Stewardship Regime point-ofsale checks has been introduced. It can be found at HERE.
Point-of-sale checks apply equally to pest controllers, farmers and gamekeepers. All supply outlets – trade and retail, premises and internet – require buyers of professional use
rodenticides to provide an approved certificate of competence or documentation confirming membership of an approved farm assurance scheme. Otherwise, the seller is
forbidden to supply.
All rodenticide product authorisation holders have committed to investigate allegations of non-compliance, then report findings and action to the Campaign for Responsible
Rodenticide Use (CRRU) UK, the body charged with regime implementation.
A record of investigations and outcomes will be included in the regime’s annual report to the HSE-led Government Oversight Group.
Sanctions available to authorisation holders on sellers found breaching point-of-sale rules include re-training on all aspects of the rodenticide regime, reporting serious or repeated instances to Trading Standards and CRD Compliance, and withdrawal of supply from noncompliant outlets.
CRRU UK emphasises that the process is for reporting non-compliance at point-of-sale only. Incidents of suspected bad practice in rodenticide use, or rodenticide poisoning of nontarget species, should be reported to http://bit.ly/2ycuVCP (HSE website), or the Wildlife Incident Investigation Service on 0800 321600.