Coquitlam is trying to save hawks, owls and other predators from dying of rodenticides.
Monday, city council unanimously voted to receive an environment advisory committee recommendation to ban the use of second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides (SGAR) on city-owned land.
The two most common second-generation rodenticides are difenacoum and brodifacoum — the latter being responsible for the majority of deaths in second-hand poisonings.
Secondary poisonings are considered a threat to ecosystems as the chemicals enter the predators when they eat rodents, i.e., mice, rats, squirrels, chipmunks, porcupines and beavers.
In August, California was the first state in the United States to pass legislation to prohibit SGARs.
Coquitlam Coun. Bonita Zarrillo said she’d like the municipal ban to extend to developers; however, committee chair Coun. Brent Asmundson said the city only has control over municipal property.
Council’s move on Nov. 16, which has yet to be formally ratified, also includes an outreach to residents and businesses to use alternative pest controls. A city staff report will return to council for final decision.
