Legislation

Massachusetts S. 644 /H. 965
An Act restricting the use of rodenticides in the environment 

Sponsors: Senator Mike Moore and Representative Jim Hawkins

Status: Referred to Joint Committee on Environment and Natural Resources

Overview:

This legislation would restrict the use of anticoagulant rodenticides (ARs) in Massachusetts to protect wildlife, pets, people, and the  environment. This is a new file for this session.

What this bill will do:

These bills will end the registration and reregistration of anticoagulant rodenticides (ARs), unless deemed necessary for a public health emergency. They will also give the Department of Agricultural Resources the ability to establish a process and standards for the limited use of anticoagulant rodenticides by licensed applicators in public health emergencies.

What are Anticoagulant Rodenticides (ARs)?

Anticoagulant Rodenticides (ARs) are a particularly toxic group of poisons used as a form of rodent

control. When ingested, ARs prevent the clotting of blood, and cause the animal who ingested it to

sustain heavy internal bleeding, eventually causing death. The poison remains in the dead or dying

rodent’s system for days. These poisons are broken into two categories: first generation known as

FGARs (Chlorophacinone, Diphacinonon, and Warfarin) and second generation known as SGARs

(Brodifacoum, Bromadiolone Difenacoum, and Difethialone). First-generation anticoagulant

rodenticides last for approximately 7 days in an animal’s system, but SGARs are more potent and

generally last for 4 weeks, making them more dangerous to other animals who ingest poisoned prey.

ARs impact non-targeted pets and wildlife populations, such as birds of prey, who rely on the poisoned rodents as a food source. As a result, the cats and dogs, hawks, eagles, owls, and bobcats who are exposed often suffer the same fatal hemorrhaging as their meal.

The effects of ARs are widely known. In fact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) took steps to reduce the availability of ARs out of concern for the unintentional secondary or, in some cases with SGARs, tertiary exposure. Although ARs are not made available to consumers for non-commercial purposes, pesticide companies rely heavily on the use of ARs to manage rodent problems. In addition, consumers may still purchase ARs in bulk online at commonly-used retailers such as Amazon.com.

Why is this bill needed:

Impacts on wildlife: The impacts of AR secondary poisoning on wildlife have been documented across Massachusetts. A 2011 peer-reviewed study found that 86% of 161 birds of prey, tested at Tufts Wildlife Clinic, had some form of SGARs in their liver tissue. A second study, conducted from 2012-2016 and also utilizing Tufts Wildlife Clinic to test four different species of birds of prey in Massachusetts, found a rate of 96%. A 2020 study reports that a stunning 100% of 43 red-tailed hawks in New England who were tested had anticoagulant rodenticide in their bodies, indicating that the presence of rodenticides in our wildlife has only increased over the past decade. In a 2023 article, scientists note that “these findings have global implications as increasing concern regarding exposure to and toxicosis from Ars [anticoagulant rodenticides] in non target wildlife worldwide leads to a search for alternatives and effective mitigation approaches.” Additionally, animal control officers and veterinarians in the Commonwealth have seen birds of prey fall out of trees from muscle weakness and choke on their own blood from internal bleeding as a result of having ingested rodenticide.  “Year after year we see the devastating effects these poisons have on our local wildlife. Our hospitals provide emergency veterinary care to hundreds of animals annually who are suffering from the effects of SGAR's, and we know there are thousands more that never make it in for treatment. The health of our ecosystem and communities depend on the services these predators provide. It is time to empower people to make better choices when it comes to rodent control." —Zak Mertz, Executive Director of the New England Wildlife Center Impacts on pets and their families: Unfortunately, wildlife are not the only animals impacted by these poisons. The MSPCA’s Angell Animal Medical Centers see ~50 cases of companion animal poisoning each year. Homeowners and landlords hire companies that put out poison, not knowing it can be dangerous to their pets or tenants. Because symptoms of rodenticide poisoning may develop over a few days, pet owners are sometimes unaware that their pet has ingested the poison until it is almost too late. The cost of veterinary care to treat an animal who has ingested rat poison can exceed $2,000 and take weeks of supportive care and medication, putting a significant financial and emotional strain on families. The alternative to this expensive care is euthanasia, which is a heartbreaking result of a preventable situation. Murray, M. and Cox, E.C. 2023. Active metabolite of the neurotoxic rodenticide bromethalin along with anticoagulant rodenticides detected in birds of prey in the northeastern United States. Environmental Pollution, 333:122076.