Committee tables bill on rodenticide bait restrictions for further review

The committee considered LD 356, a bill directing the Board of Pesticides Control to study the role of rodenticide bait boxes in secondary poisonings and to explore restrictions on rodenticide use, particularly in residential settings. The Department’s Board of Pesticides Control and other experts provided preliminary data showing rodenticides have been detected in wildlife samples across the region and that self‑reported incidents suggest hundreds of domestic animal exposures annually in national incident databases.

Board of Pesticides Control Director Alex Peacock told the committee the agency had begun a preliminary review and noted studies showing detectable rodenticide residues in wildlife carcasses and raptors; many studies detect presence but often cannot conclude toxicosis as the sole cause of death. The director said restricting outdoor use to licensed applicators and confining certain bait placements to indoor settings could reduce direct exposures to non‑target wildlife and pets, although the committee discussed operational challenges for food service, agriculture and other facilities that must maintain pest control.

Committee members debated possible rule options — limiting outdoor use to licensed applicators, keeping indoor use available, or broader prohibitions similar to measures in other states — and asked staff about existing EPA and state rule changes that have already altered product availability to consumers.

After discussion, members voted to table LD 356 and requested more information on labeling, incident data and comparative legal approaches (for example, Massachusetts and California) before moving forward. The tabled motion passed unanimously. The committee said staff and the Board of Pesticides Control would follow up with additional data and proposed rule text options for a later work session.