There is no doubt that baited rat poison traps work to kill rats. But these traps, which were found in and around dozens of businesses in the Corporate Park near the Napa Airport and are situated amongst natural creek and river wetland habitats, can also kill the other animals that live in those habitats. These traps also pose a potential danger to children and pets that are visiting the businesses near where the traps were found.

That is why the Napa Sierra Club asked the Napa County Agricultural Commissioner’s Office to investigate. The Commission’s recent report on the investigation showed that we were right to have been concerned about the way traps are distributed, labeled, and maintained.

The report states that the risk the traps pose of poisoning any animal that might eat the bait or the poisoned rodent is “legitimate.” However, since the Commission does not have the capacity to monitor animal deaths, it could not make a conclusion as to the number of animal deaths caused by the traps; other state and local agencies would have to ascertain the true number.  We also agree with the Commission that there are other factors that may contribute to the demise of animals in the area. Those include habitat loss and severe drought conditions.

Because of the efforts by the Napa Sierra Club in bringing the potential harm of rat poison traps to the Commission’s attention (as well as to the attention to the businesses in the area), the Commissioner’s Office is beefing up its presence. According to the report, the Office "has implemented new measures in their pesticide use enforcement program to better address this concern going forward.” The Office has promised that it will conduct outreach and education to the businesses that use the traps about the safety and potential harm that these rodenticides create. Since many of the traps that were discovered were out of compliance (improperly baited, unlicensed, or abandoned, among other things), the Office will also be including more pesticide use surveillance and inspections in the area. "Violations discovered through these inspections will be followed up on and the appropriate compliance and/or enforcement action taken,” the report stated. We do appreciate the Commissioner’s Office taking these steps.

Going forward, the Napa Sierra Club will continue to push for increased education concerning the effects on the many natural ecosystems in and around the industrial parks in southern Napa County, and urge the inclusion of more open space habitat for these fragile ecosystems.