Opinion: Maine’s new rodenticide ban is an opportunity for new pest control measures 4

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 30, 2026

As of June 15, consumers in Maine can no longer purchase certain household rodenticide products following a Board of Pesticides Control decision to remove these products from stores and prohibit online sales to residential addresses. This change has prompted debate over how best to balance wildlife protection, consumer access and effective rodent control. As a pest management professional who looks at the science of rodenticide every day, the real story isn’t about taking sides. It is about understanding how these chemicals actually work, why the rules are changing and why effective pest management cannot rely on chemicals alone. ~ Dan Smith, SMART Technologies coordinator, Modern Pest Services, Brunswick