Amid COVID-19 disruption, users and sellers of professional-use-only rodenticides are reminded that a formal review of the UK Rodenticide Stewardship Regime by its HSE-led Government Oversight Group is imminent.

Dr Alan Buckle, chairman of the Campaign for Responsible Rodenticide Use (CRRU), which developed and runs the regime, said the review may well have a significant bearing on future rodenticide availability and use.

Dr Buckle said: “For stewardship’s voluntary nature to be successful, the entire pest control sector has to take responsibility for driving out bad practice and illegal supply.”

Rupert Broome, head of CRRU UK’s point of sale work group, said auditing supply outlets is a cornerstone of the regime.

He said: “The most recent annual report from CRRU records outright passes for 72% of premises, up from 67% in 2018; 8% of passes with minor issues; 19% qualified passes; and 2% failed or where the audit failed to take place. None of us involved in rodent pest control can afford for stewardship practice to slip during COVID-19 disruption.”