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Westford health officials plan pilot to reduce rodenticide use after wildlife deaths
Summary
After residents and a wildlife rehabilitator described wildlife deaths linked to rodenticides, the Westford Health Department announced a pilot at the Cameron Senior Center to replace bait stations with mechanical traps and said it will overhaul the town pesticide-use policy to remove an old exemption. Residents and committees offered to help.
The Westford Board of Health on May 11 moved to investigate replacing rodenticide bait stations on town property after staff and residents raised concerns about secondary poisoning of wildlife.
Ray, the town’s health director, told the board that Westford’s existing pesticide-use policy bans rodenticides for town property but contains an exemption that allows “pesticides contained in baits or traps for the purpose of rodent control.” He said that clause appears to date back roughly 20 years and that the health department, facilities and the assistant town manager are preparing a pilot program at the Cameron Senior Center to see whether bait boxes can be removed and replaced with mechanical traps. “They are suggesting… between 6 and 12 months for the pilot,” Ray said, describing monthly inspections to set a baseline and document any changes.
Avery, a state-licensed wildlife rehabilitator who spoke during public comment, urged the board to move quickly because of repeated cases she has encountered of raptors and other wildlife dying from secondary ingestion. “Those bait boxes are just… deadly for more than just the rodents involved,” Avery said, and offered to serve on a task force to help revise policy and advise on alternatives.
Ray said the department will coordinate with animal control and facilities and has asked the assistant town manager and town manager’s office for guidance on how to start a formal policy overhaul. He described key trade-offs the town must consider: protecting wildlife and groundwater, limiting public exposure, and the cost and frequency of mechanical-control services. “There’s a cost impact to the town and the taxpayer,” he said, while stressing that protecting water and public health remain priorities.
Board members asked how Westford’s approach compares to neighboring towns; Ray said nearly 50 communities have adopted bans on rodenticides for town-owned land, and some are pursuing home-rule petitions to extend bans to private property. Board members discussed oversight of the pilot and whether facilities or the health department will maintain monitoring data; Ray said facilities will run the pilot and the health department will perform monthly inspections through its regional inspector to document rodent signs inside and outside the building.
The board agreed to invite animal-control staff to the June meeting, to include residents who volunteered for a task force, and to work with the town manager’s office on the policy update. Ray reiterated that the exemption clause and an unattached addendum in the policy appear out of date and will require more research.
The board did not adopt a new town-wide ban at the May meeting but committed to data collection through the Cameron Senior Center pilot and to drafting policy revisions with input from residents and town departments. The board asked staff to record volunteer interest and to report back with a draft timeline and proposed oversight arrangements at the next meeting.
