How The Glue Trap Ban Will Impact Facilities Managers
By Sophie Thorogood, technical training manager at Pelsis Group.
A big change impacting pest control is here. On July 31st it became an offence in England to use glue traps for rodent control unless it is done under a licence and only for certain situations.
The ban on glue traps in England, will have several implications for facilities managers responsible for maintaining pest control in commercial, industrial, and residential properties.
This article will give you the insights you need to ensure you are prepared for the ban and do not get caught out.
Regulatory Compliance
A key consequence of the ban for facilities manager is that they will need to ensure their pest control practices comply with the new regulations.
There is currently no restriction on who can purchase and use glue traps in England, which is why some facilities managers have used them in the past as part of their pest control practices.
However, to use them following the ban a licence needs to be issued and will only be issued to professional pest control specialists who have achieved the right level of qualification in pest management.
Therefore, facilities managers need to avoid the use of glue traps by non‑trained personnel and the potential of facing penalties if found to be in violation of the new regulations.
Only certain sites will be approved for glue trap use, for example in aircraft, critical infrastructure or hospital surgery rooms where there is an imminent risk to health and safety.
Other locations where permission to use glue traps may be granted would be for national or regional food distribution sites, laboratories or supermarkets.
In these cases, the technician would have to apply for the licence each time they would want to put a single glue trap down, and it would only be granted when other methods have proved ineffective.
Glue trap treatments will have to be heavily planned in some cases as users will not be able to use them on an ad hoc basis or to assist with quickly driving down a high population of rodents at a site.
Increased Costs
At a time when budgets are being squeezed, prevention of pest infestations is becoming increasingly important. Should a site suffer from a pest infestation, it is likely that the pest control efforts will cost more for facilities managers.
The ban will make the use of glue traps more costly for pest technicians and in turn, their customers, due to the price of application for a specific licence to use glue boards.
Alternative Methods
Adopting alternative pest control methods will be key for facilities managers.
Without the use of glue traps, some sites may be at risk of closure if the rodent population grows too large and there is a risk to human health, or the rodents avoid other management tools.
Interestingly, in some areas of UK cities there is a phenomenon known as behavioural resistance. This is where mice have unusual feeding habits and will only feed on high fat and protein content foods, which are commonly taken to offices, shops or warehouses by employees.
This has impacted the ability of pest control technicians to combat infestations.
The loss of traps may also lead to an increase in rodent borne illnesses, such as salmonella, building fabrication damage, fines and business closures. This could potentially cause severe economic losses.
Prevention Better Than Cure
The reduction of options to cure a pest problem brought on by the ban only increases the importance of prevention.
Ensuring there is a focus on preventative measures, such as improving sanitation, sealing entry points, and using repellents will help make your pest control strategy more effective.
Overall, the glue trap ban will require facilities managers to rely on preventative pest control strategies, invest in training and new equipment, and ensure compliance with the new regulations.
While there may be initial challenges and costs, the shift towards more humane and potentially more sustainable pest control methods could offer long‑term benefits, both ethically and operationally.
