After a detailed review, the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) has finalised its risk assessments on anticoagulant rodenticides and is proposing substantial changes to products in this category to protect the safety of people and the environment, especially native birds and mammals.
These proposed changes are dealt with through 2 different regulatory mechanisms.
Proposed suspension
The APVMA has concluded that the way products containing second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides (SGARs**) are currently used is creating current risks to *non-target animals, including native wildlife.
This conclusion has led the APVMA to propose suspending SGAR products so that stricter controls around their use can be implemented quickly.
The controls on use that could be put into place during a suspension are designed to remove the most likely routes of native wildlife exposure, to manage the risks while the review is finalised.
The suspension of SGARs, if enacted, would occur as soon as possible after the end of a six-week consultation with the product registration holders and state and territory governments.
If the suspension goes ahead, SGAR products could still be used, but only in accordance with the enforceable new instructions, conditions and use patterns that will apply nationally.
Proposed reconsideration decisions
The proposed reconsideration decisions include a wide range of restrictions on how and where all anticoagulant rodenticide products, including first-generation products, can be used. These restrictions are aimed at preventing risks to people and non-target animals, including native wildlife.
The APVMA has also proposed cancelling specific products that pose an unacceptable risk.
The APVMA’s review of all anticoagulant rodenticides (both first and second-generation) registered for use in Australia included 8 distinct chemicals, which are included in 168 products and 26 active constituents. The APVMA considered more than 1500 scientific studies during the review.
The proposed measures announced today are comparable to or stronger than, those of equivalent international regulators.
Public consultation on the proposed reconsideration decisions commences today and will close on 16 March 2026.
If the APVMA receives submissions that identify further imminent risks which need to be mitigated, we can and will take additional regulatory action as appropriate.
Further information about the proposed decisions is available in the Anticoagulant rodenticides Review Technical Report, and the APVMA Special Gazette, 16 December 2025.
(*Referred to throughout the scientific, technical and decision reports, non-target animals include native wildlife such as birds and marsupials, pets and livestock.)
(**SGARs - These are products containing the active ingredients: brodifacoum, bromadiolone, difenacoum, difethialone and floucoumafen.)