NEWS | PPC108 September 2022

With pest management under the spotlight, particularly regarding glue boards, BPCA has spent more time than ever monitoring what’s happening in the UK parliament and the devolved administrations.

PPC helps keep you firmly in the loop. 

▶Glue Traps (Offences) Act – what will glue board licensing look like?

BPCA sat around a (virtual) table with Defra and other stakeholders for an initial discussion about what glue board licensing in England might look like when it’s phased in in 2024.

BPCA stated: 

• The individual should be licensed, not the employer or not the client
• Licences should be a minimum of one year
• The person should require training to a specific standard
• The person being licensed should require CPD related to rodent control and glue boards, verified by compliance on a CPD scheme.

While Defra is still in the early stages of deciding how to licence glue boards, the organisation was clear that it did not believe general licences would be viable, leaving the option of class licences or individual licences. 

Defra also maintains that the licensing scheme should be only available in exceptional cases when there is a significant risk to public health.

Dee Ward-Thompson, BPCA’s Head of Technical, commented: “The reason we require the use of glue boards is for the rapid control of infestations on sensitive sites, like hospital wards and care homes. If licences need to be issued on a case-by-case basis, then this could render glue boards useless too”.

FAQ

Do I have to stop using glue traps immediately? 

No, 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. BPCA will keep professionals updated regarding this.

What will the conditions of a glue traps licence for professionals be?

The details of the licensing scheme have yet to be decided and BPCA will be engaging with stakeholders wherever possible, in order to make sure that the system is workable.

What’s happening in the devolved nations?

We are still awaiting the Scottish Government’s consultation on glue boards.

BPCA made a submission to the Welsh minister asking for a similar exemption from the ban for pest controllers as we achieved in England and we are still for a response on that. There are currently no plans to ban glue boards in Northern Ireland.

▶Bird control licences

Northern Ireland Environment Agency 

The withdrawn consultation on bird licences in Northern Ireland was relaunched and is now closed. BPCA submitted evidence on behalf of members.

▶Product registrations

The Health and Safety Executive has previously advised that the registration process would be streamlined post-Brexit and now appear to be taking action to do this.

A survey regarding transition has been sent to registration holders to understand how prepared companies are. BPCA is watching this transition carefully to see how it’ll affect users and public health pest control products.

▶Plant protection products register

If you use professional plant protection products as part of your work, or if you have professional PPPs applied by a third party as part of your work in agriculture, horticulture, the amenity sector or forestry in Great Britain, then you must now notify Defra. 

The Official Controls (Plant Protection Products) Regulations 2020 apply the Official Controls Regulations (OCR) to PPPs in Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales).
The registration deadline was 22 June 2022, but Defra is currently still accepting registrations.
gov.uk/government/publications/professional-plant-protection-products-ppps-register-as-a-user

▶Bait dragging in the Netherlands

The EU has issued restrictions on rodenticides in the Netherlands which may affect the UK. 

While rodenticides haven’t been banned, further restrictions for outdoor use are expected in January 2023. The concern for the Netherlands is that bait is being drawn out of boxes, meaning there’s a risk to non-target species. This is currently under consultation but when the results are known, any restriction applied may also impact the UK.

Remember to secure your bait properly in a box as we’re likely to see increased scrutiny in this area.

Remember, if you want to talk to your MP, BPCA can support the conversation.
[email protected] 

Source: PPC108