Protecting our wildlife

Big changes to rat bait rules and what it means for you

From 24 March 2026, the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) introduced important new regulations around Second-Generation Anticoagulant Rodenticides (SGARs), and it’s something every home and business owner should be aware of.

In simple terms, the stronger “one-feed” rat and mouse baits you may have picked up from the supermarket or hardware store are being phased out of retail sale, and there are new restrictions in place for commercial use. Going forward, these products will only be available to licensed, trained professionals, with new restrictions on their use.

So, why the change? It all comes down to protecting our incredible native wildlife.

What’s actually changed?

Here’s a quick breakdown of the new rules (effective March 2026):

• Now restricted to professionals

  • SGAR products are being reclassified as Restricted Chemical Products (RCPs), meaning they’re no longer available for general public use.

• One-year suspension in place

  • Certain SGAR products are under a one-year suspension starting 24 March 2026, kicking off this transition. The APVMA has suspended the registration of these products for one year to allow for tighter controls.

New rules for use (for licensed professionals)

For those licensed professional pest controllers who are authorised to use SGARs, there are now strict conditions in place during the one year suspension:

• Strictly no outdoor use

• Must be placed inside tamper-resistant bait stations

• Cannot be used for longer than 35 days without reassessment

• Regular disposal of dead rodents and bait is mandatory

  • This means actively searching for and safely disposing of dead rodents to reduce the risk to pets and wildlife.

Which products are affected?

These changes apply to all second-generation rodent bait products containing the following active ingredients: Brodifacoum, Bromadiolone, Difenacoum, Difethialone and Flocoumafen.

Why this matters

SGARs are highly effective, but that effectiveness comes with a massive downside.

These products don’t kill rodents straight away. Instead, the toxin builds up in their system. When those rodents are then eaten by predators like owls, eagles, or quolls, the poison passes on, often with devastating consequences. These new regulations are designed to break that chain of secondary poisoning and better protect Australia’s amazing native animals.

What can you do instead?

The good news? There are still plenty of effective ways to manage rodents safely:

• Switch to First-Generation products

  • These break down faster in the body and are considered safer for wildlife, and are still available locally.

• Use traps

  • Snap traps or electric traps can work very well when placed correctly and safely.

• Rodent-proof your space

  • Seal entry points and keep food sources tightly managed. Keep trees and shrubs cut back from your roofline, they're just rat ladders. Remove standing water and fix your outside dripping taps.

• Dispose of old bait responsibly.

  • Please don’t throw old SGAR products in the bin. Contact your local council for household hazardous waste collection days.

A friendly final note

We know changes like this can feel a bit inconvenient at first, but they’re a positive step toward balancing effective pest control with environmental responsibility. First-generation rodent poisons (FGARs) and non-toxic alternatives remain available for home users.

If you’re unsure what to use, or want a hand managing a rodent issue the right way, we’re always here to help (and we promise to keep it practical, safe, and effective).

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