A yes vote on SGARs is ‘a crucial first step’
We’re not asking people to stop fighting rodents, but to adopt safer alternatives.
Thank you for your informative article about the dangers of using SGARs to control rodent populations. As authors of Article 36 — Citizen Petition: Ban Second-Generation Anticoagulant Rodenticides (SGARs) — we’d like to clarify points raised in the Acton Bridge article, “Businesses balk at proposed ban on rat poison.”
The main concern is that banning SGARs will increase rodent populations. A wide body of research shows that switching to Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies is just as effective, if not more so, at reducing rodent populations in the long term. We’re not asking people to stop fighting rodents, but to adopt safer alternatives. Some people are hesitant to invest in implementing a fully integrated approach but are willing to swap out their SGAR poisons to a non-SGAR alternative such as RatX, vitamin D3, or rodent birth control. Even this small change can help protect wildlife and pets. Article 36 is also worded to allow for businesses and residents to use SGARs during a public health emergency.
Since this is a Home Rule petition requiring approval by the Massachusetts State Legislature, the ban won’t take effect immediately and will return to a future Acton Town Meeting for review. A “yes” vote on Article 36 at the 2025 Town Meeting is a crucial first step, with plenty of time to finalize details before it returns, possibly months or years later.
We encourage everyone to talk with their pest control providers about discontinuing SGAR use and to urge their neighbors to do the same. We invite you to visit our website (saveconcordwildlife.org) for a list of companies that are willing to work SGAR-free. Acton has a rich history as a leader in environmentalism and conservation. Together, we can protect both our community and the natural ecosystems we all share.
Gwendolyn Shipley
Wilson Road
Meghan Sinclair
Barretts Mill Road
