Author Topic: Spilt rat poison (Read 7253 times)

Unwashed · « **on:** February 03, 2011, 17:10:20 »

The other day the Council's rat poison man spilt a scoop of poison on my plot, and then dug it in. I noticed the area - about 10' x 4' - had been dug over and I could see a sprinkling of grains on the surface, but I turned a bit over with a fork and the soil is heavily contaminated - I'd guestimate that 1kg of poison was spilt.

I strongly object to rat poison as I've mentioned here before, but now I'm worried about the safety of leaving that much poison in the soil. I was ill before Christmas and had some blood tests done and it turns out I had thrombocytopenia, and although there are a bunch of causes, anticoagulent rat poison is a cause, so now I'm also worried that this kind of thing has been going on for ages without my knowledge.

I've contacted environmental health to see if they can advise, and I've also asked the council to remove the contaminated soil, test the rest of my plot for contamination, and remove the bait boxes from site, but I'm not so sure they'll want to.

What would you adivise?

elvis2003 · « **Reply #1 on:** February 03, 2011, 17:21:24 »

good lord,how terrible! id do what you are already doing,plus get them to pay to replace the soil! are you well now?

Mr Smith · « **Reply #2 on:** February 03, 2011, 17:37:50 »

Bury spilt rat poison totally out of order, I don't think the vermin controller stuck to his code of conduct when it comes to spilt poisons, would plants grow in an area that was contaminated with poison I suppose it depends on what type of poison it was, but all the same you have good cause for conplaint :)

Unwashed · « **Reply #3 on:** February 03, 2011, 17:41:24 »

Quote from: elvis2003 on February 03, 2011, 17:21:24

are you well now?

Yes, thank you. I'd had some heavy nose bleeds but I hadn't thought anything of it, and I don't think my illness was related to that, but it unexpectedly turned up the thrombocytopenia in blood tests, and it had gone away in the followup test, but it's a funny old thing because my potatoes ran out at the same time and it's just got me a bit concerned.

Unwashed · « **Reply #4 on:** February 03, 2011, 17:43:16 »

Quote from: Mr Smith on February 03, 2011, 17:37:50

Bury spilt rat poison totally out of order, I don't think the vermin controller stuck to his code of conduct when it comes to spilt poisons, would plants grow in an area that was contaminated with poison I suppose it depends on what type of poison it was, but all the same you have good cause for conplaint :)

Thanks very much Mr Smith. I haven't taken it up directly with the contractor, but they do have a code of conduct don't they. I wonder if I can get hold of that.

elvis2003 · « **Reply #5 on:** February 03, 2011, 17:47:47 »

Id be furious if someone took it upon themselves to dig about in my plot! Did he try to contact you or anyone to tell you what had happened? Anyone can be forgiven for spilling something,but leaving it there without warning is a different matter,what if you had a pet or child at the plot with you?

tonybloke · « **Reply #6 on:** February 03, 2011, 17:48:37 »

http://openlibrary.org/books/OL19464416M/BPCA_code_of_practice_for_persons_engaged_in_commercial_industrial_and_public_health_pest_control_using_products_approved_under_the_Food_and_Environment_Protection_Act_1985.

have a look here, Simon

Squash64 · « **Reply #7 on:** February 03, 2011, 17:48:53 »

Unbelievable!

I don't know if it's because of my suspicious nature, or being married to a Sicilian, but it almost sounds as if they have done it on purpose. Has it only been done on your plot?

Unwashed · « **Reply #8 on:** February 03, 2011, 18:18:17 »

Quote from: elvis2003 on February 03, 2011, 17:47:47

Id be furious if someone took it upon themselves to dig about in my plot! Did he try to contact you or anyone to tell you what had happened? Anyone can be forgiven for spilling something,but leaving it there without warning is a different matter,what if you had a pet or child at the plot with you?

Apparently the contractor phoned the council, but the council didn't contact me. I just happened to notice the disturbance and by chance a local councillors was on site for a smoking bonfire so I asked him to have a look at the poison and he took it up with the council. The mailed me in response to explain what had happened.

There was a considerable amount of grain on the surface when I saw the spill but I guess the birds have picked that up because there was almost none left when the council officer came and had a look the next day. I hope it wasn't my neighbours chickens then picked it up - they often get out and the poison is placed around her chooks's pen.

Unwashed · « **Reply #9 on:** February 03, 2011, 18:28:45 »

Quote from: Squash64 on February 03, 2011, 17:48:53

Unbelievable!

I don't know if it's because of my suspicious nature, or being married to a Sicilian, but it almost sounds as if they have done it on purpose. Has it only been done on your plot?

It's not just you Betty, I've considered the possibility that it was malicious, especially when I started to worry about previous contamination, but if it was spilt by the pest-control contractor as I was told then it's implausible that she would do it maliciously. I think it was an accident.

It's ironic though that I should have had a heated exchange of e-mails with the council when they started poisoning several years ago. They have a legal obligation to pick up poisoned carcasses to prevent secondary poisoning to predators like the site cats, dogs that come in through the hedge from the park, red kites, etc. The council told me that they couldn't afford to look for carcasses, but they installed a bin for tenants to use for any dead rats they find. Permanent poisoning is stupid anyway, because rats just move in from the countryside. It also creates immunity - Newbury was one of the first places to see second-generation anticoagulent rodenticide-immune super rats in the early nineties. The Council spend several thousand pounds on rat poison - and we've never ever had a rat problem! Seriously, in 15 years on site I have never ever seen a rat!

Unwashed · « **Reply #10 on:** February 03, 2011, 18:41:06 »

Quote from: tonybloke on February 03, 2011, 17:48:37

have a look here, Simon

Thanks Tony. I couldn't find an on-line version of the text. I've mainled the organisation - the web page rejected my message because my my e-mail address is blacklisted!

Robert_Brenchley · « **Reply #11 on:** February 03, 2011, 18:41:29 »

Why on earth didn't the guy just scrape it up again?

Unwashed · « **Reply #12 on:** February 03, 2011, 18:44:11 »

Quote from: Robert_Brenchley on February 03, 2011, 18:41:29

Why on earth didn't the guy just scrape it up again?

I wondered that too. I suppose it was easier for him to fork it in.

saddad · « **Reply #13 on:** February 03, 2011, 18:54:54 »

I know you don't see eye to eye with the council but this is going a bit far...

Some of us have naturally recurring thrombocytopenia, if they did it on my plot it could have been fatal... :-X
Equally an elderly plot holder like my neighbour (93) on Warfarin could have serious problems...

I'd certainly be going to the press with that one if it was my plots...

Unwashed · « **Reply #14 on:** February 03, 2011, 19:07:20 »

Quote from: saddad on February 03, 2011, 18:54:54

I know you don't see eye to eye with the council but this is going a bit far...

Some of us have naturally recurring thrombocytopenia, if they did it on my plot it could have been fatal... :-X
Equally an elderly plot holder like my neighbour (93) on Warfarin could have serious problems...

I'd certainly be going to the press with that one if it was my plots...

Blimey, that's not good. The Council haven't even apologised, though apparently the contractor apologised for the inconvenience. I guess being poisoned would be a bit inconvenient.

Squash64 · « **Reply #15 on:** February 03, 2011, 19:08:41 »

Quote from: Unwashed on February 03, 2011, 18:28:45

Quote from: Squash64 on February 03, 2011, 17:48:53
Unbelievable!

I don't know if it's because of my suspicious nature, or being married to a Sicilian, but it almost sounds as if they have done it on purpose. Has it only been done on your plot?
It's not just you Betty, I've considered the possibility that it was malicious, especially when I started to worry about previous contamination, but if it was spilt by the pest-control contractor as I was told then it's implausible that she would do it maliciously. I think it was an accident.

It's ironic though that I should have had a heated exchange of e-mails with the council when they started poisoning several years ago. They have a legal obligation to pick up poisoned carcasses to prevent secondary poisoning to predators like the site cats, dogs that come in through the hedge from the park, red kites, etc. The council told me that they couldn't afford to look for carcasses, but they installed a bin for tenants to use for any dead rats they find. Permanent poisoning is stupid anyway, because rats just move in from the countryside. It also creates immunity - Newbury was one of the first places to see second-generation anticoagulent rodenticide-immune super rats in the early nineties. The Council spend several thousand pounds on rat poison - and we've never ever had a rat problem! Seriously, in 15 years on site I have never ever seen a rat!

Simon, I agree with Saddad, go to the press.
The pest control officer is employed by the Council so it's not beyond the realms of possibility that she was told to be 'careless' on your plot. I think there is more to this than meets the eye.

Mr Smith · « **Reply #16 on:** February 03, 2011, 19:42:55 »

Quote from: Unwashed on February 03, 2011, 17:43:16

Quote from: Mr Smith on February 03, 2011, 17:37:50

Bury spilt rat poison totally out of order, I don't think the vermin controller stuck to his code of conduct when it comes to spilt poisons, would plants grow in an area that was contaminated with poison I suppose it depends on what type of poison it was, but all the same you have good cause for conplaint :)
Thanks very much Mr Smith. I haven't taken it up directly with the contractor, but they do have a code of conduct don't they. I wonder if I can get hold of that.

A good place to start would be a good country store that sells to Farmers, they will have a poisons book to keep a record of weedkillers etc that are on the restricted list and are not on general sale to the public, they should have a reference guide, there are hundreds of regs relating to poisons or the EA would also be able to help in fact I think they would like to know about the rat poison being buried in the ground,

herbigerbi · « **Reply #17 on:** February 03, 2011, 20:00:07 »

vitamin k1 is the antidote for anti coagulants found in some vegtables i think u will find t

Unwashed · « **Reply #18 on:** February 03, 2011, 20:18:52 »

Quote from: Mr Smith on February 03, 2011, 19:42:55

A good place to start would be a good country store that sells to Farmers, they will have a poisons book to keep a record of weedkillers etc that are on the restricted list and are not on general sale to the public, they should have a reference guide, there are hundreds of regs relating to poisons or the EA would also be able to help in fact I think they would like to know about the rat poison being buried in the ground,

Thanks Mr Smith. I phoned the EA but they said it wasn't their thing unless it was contaminating a water course. The environmental health people said it was their responsibility and they'll be getting back to me tomorrow.

I've also had a response from the British Pest Control Association which was pretty swift so I'm just clarifying the situation with them to see if they can suggest what should have happened, and what should happen now.

Unwashed · « **Reply #19 on:** February 03, 2011, 20:24:10 »

Quote from: herbigerbi on February 03, 2011, 20:00:07

vitamin k1 is the antidote for anti coagulants found in some vegtables i think u will find t

It's in cauliflower if memory serves, though I'd rather not need the antidote if it's all the same. I nursed my dog Emily through idopathic thrombocytopenia - successfully as it happens - and I wouldn't have that happen to any living creature, and that includes rats. Emily wasn't poisoned, it was an autoimmune response, but it was life-changing all the same.

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Author Topic: Spilt rat poison (Read 7253 times)