EPA tells U.S. cities — it's illegal to use dry ice to kill rats

digitaljournal.com ^ | Nov 25, 2016 | Karen Graham

[daniel1212]

Major cities in the U.S., including New York, Boston, Chicago, and others, began using dry ice several months ago in an effort to reduce rodent populations that had increased considerably after last year's warm winter, and it proved to be very effective. USA Today is reporting that in some cities, there has been a 95 percent reduction in the number of rodents using dry ice.

The rather chilling extermination method involves dropping dry ice, frozen carbon dioxide, into rat burrows and then stuffing the openings with newspapers and dirt. As the dry ice melts, carbon dioxide gas is released, suffocating the rodents, leaving them to decompose in their holes, away from humans.

The dry ice method is efficient and cheap, say officials in cities where it has been tested. Chicago launched its dry ice program in August this year and saw an immediate 60 percent reduction in rat populations. They also say dry ice is very cost effective, costing around 50 cents a pound compared to rat poison pellets that run $57.00 for a 20-pound bucket....

The EPA says that with any product used as a pesticide or rodenticide, it must be vetted for public safety, highlighting the complicated process of approving the use of pesticide use in this country. And states must enforce federal guidelines if the EPA cites any violations. The use of dry ice in controlling rodent populations came to the EPA's attention after the news media gave the rat killing method widespread coverage. Many municipalities and school districts contacted the EPA, asking about the legality of using dry ice.

Other consumer groups wanted to know if cities using dry ice had created any guidelines to ensure the product was being safely handled by employees.

And then People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) stepped into the fray, saying rodents "deserve our protection."

[daniel1212]

This is an example of regulatory excess. While well-meaning, "that with any product used as a pesticide or rodenticide, it must be vetted for public safety," In principle" means that even using dish washing detergent to kill fruit flies is illegal, while getting pesticides approved can cost around a million dollars. And here you have PETA crying for rats, while human infants are murdered without such tears from them.

In addition, they are paying too much for rodentcide, unless its some one bite kind.

NEOGEN RODENTICIDE Ramik Mouse and Rat Nuggets Pouch, 4-Pound, Green (8 Pound) $26.47 & FREE Shipping on orders over $49.

[BenLurkin]

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) stepped into the fray, saying rodents "deserve our protection." No way.

[broken_arrow1]

Just do it.

[Recovering Ex-hippie]

Maybe we could get the Pied Piper.

[Recovering Ex-hippie]

Maybe we could get the Pied Piper.

[Blood of Tyrants]

Yep. PETA wants to protect disease-spreading vermin.

[Fungi]

Of course it’s illegal; rodents are more important than people. The public schools have been teaching this for years,

[daniel1212]

Correction: They are not overpaying for RODENTICIDE .

[Michael.SF.]

This is really good satire.......I hope.

[lgjhn23]

“.....And states must enforce federal guidelines if the EPA cites any violations.....”

“NUTS”
When the Feds start enforcing existing immigration laws, maybe we will start assisting....otherwise, take a hike, EPA....screw you!!!

[Lurker]

“People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) stepped into the fray, saying rodents “deserve our protection.”

Fine then. Ship them all to PETA HQ.

Collect.

L

[Michael.SF.]

Well PETA did support Bill Clinton.

[vette6387]

“Maybe we could get the Pied Piper.”

Obama’s “new job,” now that he’s found out that the men’s room attendant job at O’Hare has already been filled by one of his “brothers.”

[RetiredTexasVet]

Actually it is bureaucratic fear .... dry ice hurled into the office and the doors blocked from the outside!!!

[Gator113]

Great idea. I don’t have rat issues, but I give dry ice a try on moles .

[Grampa Dave]

No sarcasm flag/note?

[vette6387]

“Actually it is bureaucratic fear .... dry ice hurled into the office and the doors blocked from the outside!!!”

I vote for it’s use in the “drug tunnels” under our border with Mexico. Our local animal control uses CO2 to kill skunks it traps on our property here where we live.

[daniel1212]

No satire. Then there is a different solution of sort: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rat"

In some cultures, rats are or have been limited as an acceptable form of food to a particular social or economic class. In the Mishmi culture of India, rats are essential to the traditional diet, as Mishmi women may eat no meat except fish, pork, wild birds and rats.^[25] Conversely, the Musahar community in north India has commercialised rat farming as an exotic delicacy.^[26] In the traditional cultures of the Hawaiians and the Polynesians, rat was an everyday food for commoners. When feasting, the Polynesian people of Rapa Nui could eat rat meat, but the king was not allowed to, due to the islanders' belief in his "state of sacredness" called tapu.^[27] In studying precontact archaeological sites in Hawaii, archaeologists have found the concentration of the remains of rats associated with commoner households accounted for three times the animal remains associated with elite households. The rat bones found in all sites are fragmented, burned and covered in carbonized material, indicating the rats were eaten as food. The greater occurrence of rat remains associated with commoner households may indicate the elites of precontact Hawaii did not consume them as a matter of status or taste.^[28]

France has several regions where people consume rat like Bordeaux.^{[29][30][31][32][33]}

Rat stew is consumed in American cuisine in the state of West Virginia and it was also eaten in France in old Bordeaux.^[34][35] In France and Victorian Britain rich people ate rat pie.^[36] During food rationing due to World War II, British biologists ate laboratory rat, creamed.^{[37][38][39][40][41][42]}

Rat meat is eaten in Vietnamese cuisine.^{[43][44][45][46][47][48]}

Flesh of rat is eaten in Taiwan.^[49][50]

Bandicoot rats are an important food source among some peoples in Southeast Asia, and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization estimated rat meat makes up half the locally produced meat consumed in Ghana, where cane rats are farmed and hunted for their meat. African slaves in the American South were known to hunt wood rats (among other animals) to supplement their food rations,^[51] and Aborigines along the coast in southern Queensland, Australia, regularly included rats in their diet.^[52]

Ricefield rats (Rattus argentiventer) have traditionally been used as food in rice-producing regions such as Valencia, as immortalized by Vicente Blasco Ibáñez in his novel Cañas y barro. Along with eel and local beans known as garrafons, rata de marjal (marsh rat) is one of the main ingredients in traditional paella (later replaced by rabbit, chicken and seafood).^[53] Ricefield rats are also consumed in the Philippines, the Isaan region of Thailand, and Cambodia. In late 2008, Reuters reported the price of rat meat had quadrupled in Cambodia, creating a hardship for the poor who could no longer afford it.

[stars & stripes forever]

No doubt PETA is heavily invested in chemical methods of extermination.

[Swordmaker]

"USA Today is reporting that in some cities, there has been a 95 percent reduction in the number of rodents using dry ice."

Damn those dry ice using rodents. . . maybe we should just convert them to using regular water ice? Or perhaps they have just moved on to heavier drug use?