Canceling Some d-CON Mouse and Rat Control Products
EPA has reached agreement with Reckitt Benckiser, the manufacturer, to cancel 12 d-CON rat and mouse poison products, listed in the table below, which will help prevent risks to children, pets and wildlife.
- Basic information on the cancellation
- 12 d-CON products being canceled and phased out
- Additional details about implementing the cancellation
Basic Information on the Cancellation
The 12 d-CON products being canceled do not meet EPA’s current safety standards. All 12 of the products are sold without a protective bait station. Bait stations are required for consumer products to protect children and pets from contact with bait pellets. Also, 8 of the 12 products contain second generation anticoagulants pesticides that pose unacceptable risks to non-target wildlife.
Based on the agreement, Reckitt began phase out production of the 12 d-CON rat and mouse poison products in June 2014. Production of these products stopped on December 31, 2014. Distribution to retailers ended March 31, 2015. The timeline is likely to be considerably faster than would be achieved by the required administrative process.
Mouse and rat poison products meeting our safety criteria are now widely available, effective, and affordable, and pose significantly less risk to people, pets, and wildlife such as mountain lions, eagles and foxes.
Learn more about bait stations for household use.
More information about safety measures and risk concerns for rodent control products is available in the Risk Mitigation Decision for Ten Rodenticides
12 d-CON Products Being Canceled and Phased Out
| Product Name | EPA Registration No. |
|---|---|
| d-CON Concentrate Kills Rats & Mice | 3282-3 |
| d-CON Ready Mixed Kills Rats & Mice | 3282-4 |
| d-CON Mouse Prufe Kills Mice | 3282-9 |
| d-CON Pellets Kills Rats & Mice | 3282-15 |
| d-CON Mouse Prufe II | 3282-65 |
| d-CON Pellets Generation II | 3282-66 |
| d-CON Bait Pellets II | 3282-74 |
| d-CON Ready Mixed Generation II | 3282-81 |
| d-CON Mouse-Prufe III | 3282-85 |
| d-CON Bait Pellets III | 3282-86 |
| d-CON II Ready Mix Baitbits III | 3282-87 |
| d-CON Bait Packs III | 3282-88 |
Additional Details about Implementing the Cancellation
How does Reckitt’s decision to cancel these products affect the ongoing cancellation proceeding?
The EPA had previously made the determination that 12 products produced by Reckitt did not comply with current safety standards and issued a Notice of Intent to Cancel these products in February 2013. Reckitt exercised its right to contest the cancellation through an administrative hearing process. Reckitt’s decision to voluntarily cancel the 12 d-CON products will make the ongoing cancellation proceeding moot. In addition to Reckitt’s decision to voluntarily cancel the 12 d-CON products, Reckitt will no longer pursue its legal challenge of the Agency’s denials of applications for registration of two other d-CON products.
What are the terms of the agreement reached between Reckitt and EPA?
The major provisions of the agreement reached between Reckitt and EPA include the following:>
- Reckitt began phase out production of the 12 d-CON rat and mouse poison products in June 2014, stopped all production by December 31, 2014.
- Reckitt ceased distribution of existing stocks of these products by March 31, 2015.
- During the phase-out period, Reckitt will not stockpile or increase production of the 12 d-CON rat and mouse poison products. Reckitt will only produce quantities of these products to satisfy previously existing contracts and agreements.
- Retailers will be permitted keep the products on the shelves until stocks are depleted, and end users will be permitted to use them until exhausted. EPA anticipates that the majority will be sold and used within 3 months or less, though small quantities may persist for a year or so.
Are these the only rat and mouse poisons that do not comply with EPA’s 2008 standards?
Yes, the products subject to this action are the only currently registered rat and mouse poison products that do not meet the standards EPA announced in 2008. With this action, as of January 1, 2015, all registered consumer use rat and mouse poisons conform to EPA’s 2008 Risk Mitigation Decision.
How long will these products remain on the shelves and available to consumers?
In most stores, these types of products sell in three months or less. However, some of these products could remain on the shelves of smaller stores for as long as a year or more. The timeline is likely to be considerably faster than would be achieved by the required administrative process.
The state of California has his issued a rule prohibiting sale of several of these d-CON products in California except to certified applicators beginning July 1, 2014. For more information please visit the California Department of Pesticide Regulation website.
Can consumers continue to use the product after March 2015?
It will continue to be legal for consumers to use the 12 d-CON mouse and rat poison products, provided they follow all label directions and precautions.
What advice does EPA have to consumers regarding disposal of any unwanted or unused products?
Consumers who wish to dispose of any of the d-CON mouse and rat poison products listed above should contact their state or local waste disposal program or service for information on proper disposal in their community. These pesticides are harmful to the wildlife, so consumers who have opened containers should not discard them outdoors or dispose of them in sinks or toilets.
Consumers can contact their local government for recommendations on how to dispose of unwanted or unused pesticide products.
Disposal Contacts
- To identify a local solid waste agency, consumers may look in the government section of the phone book under categories such as solid waste, public works or garbage, trash or refuse collection.
- To identify your state solid or hazardous waste agency, see Learn about Waste
- For information on pesticide storage and disposal, see Containers, Containment, Storage and Disposal of Pesticides
- Contact Earth 911 at 1-800-Cleanup (253-2687) or http://www.earth911.com to obtain community disposal information.