Cnclr Nola Firth: “Second-generation Anticoagulant Rodenticides (SGARs) don’t break down for months or possibly years and dead or dying rats eaten by any animal, bird or reptile will also die.
“The poison doesn’t work immediately and rats can roam far from the bait site, resulting in death of our wildlife, especially owls and other birds of prey.
“This is of serious concern in our internationally significant environment.
“Pet dogs and cats are also at risk and the possibility of the poison entering waterways is also under investigation.
“SGARS are either banned or heavily regulated in the North America and Europe and are now under re-investigation in Australia by the Australian Pesticide and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA).
“Birdlife Australia is leading an Australian campaign against SGARs and is calling on councils to take the lead. NSW Councils that have already banned or working on banning SCARS include: Campbelltown, Clarence Valley, Northern Beaches, Wollongong, Augusta Margaret River and Randwick.
“Both LGNSW and the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) passed a resolution against its use at their 2022 national conferences.
“Tweed Shire Council is aware of the harmful effects of SGARs and has restricted its use of SGARs to its 38 sewer pump stations. It is important to also increase awareness in our community of the issue and promote alternative methods of rat control such as digital monitoring of target areas, effective non-poison traps, and rodenticides that break down more quickly and are ecologically safer (i.e. First generation Anticoagulant Rodenticides).”
The motion (Cnclr Nola Firth) that Council uses its website, media and social networking channels to advise the community of the benefits of using of First-generation Anticoagulant Rodenticides, gives guidance on how to identify it, and also promotes non-poisoning methods of rodent management, and that alternatives to use of Second-generation Anticoagulant Rodenticides (SGARs) in the TSC sewer pumps be investigated and a report be brought back to Council on this as soon as possible. The motion was successfully passed.
