Study commissioned by the Vienna Environmental Ombudsman’s Office
The Technical Office Klade was commissioned by the Viennese Ombud office for Environmental Protection to compare the rodenticides approved in the EU and thus also in Austria with regard to their inherent hazard potential and also to propose strategies for sustainable rat control. The most common and widely used active ingredients in rat control are anticoagulants. Second-generation anticoagulants (SGAR) are often the substances of choice due to their delayed action, high efficacy and easy handling. The effects of second-generation anticoagulants on the environment are particularly pronounced and detrimental in the longer term. SGARs are persistent, bio accumulative, and identified as toxic to reproduction. Several studies have also shown that high concentrations of rodenticide residues can be detected in non-target species.
The evaluation of the approved active ingredients reveals a rather small number of possible alternatives to anticoagulant active ingredients within the framework of approved rodenticides. Although there is hardly an alternative to their use, it is possible to significantly minimise the amount and frequency of use. This is made possible by preventive and accompanying measures and well-organized rat management. The core of such management is a central contact and coordination point equipped with professional and technical resources, monitoring of infestation dynamics, measures in waste management and, finally, the use of chemical and non-chemical alternatives (traps).