For anyone who wishes to purchase or use professional use rodenticides from next year, CRRU has approved a number of training certificates including the RSPH\BPCA Level 2 Award in Pest Management, the RSPH Safe Use of Rodenticides or the new BASIS\BPCA "Using Rodenticides Safely".

A number of existing training certificates were also grandfathered including the BPC Diploma Part I from 1998 - 2004. This meant that anyone with a BPC Diploma Part I dated before 1998 needed to refresh their qualification with one of the aforementioned certificates.

Well, great news! An astute BPCA member, Matthew Seabrook of III Shires Pest Control, provided BPCA with syllabus details from the 1980s and BPCA mapped and presented this to CRRU. Therefore, if you have a BPCA Diploma Part I with any date before 2004, it is valid under stewardship for the purchase and use of rodenticides.

However, BPCA strongly advises anyone who has a Dip I older than 15 years to refresh their rodenticide qualifications by taking the BPCA classroom or online course and exam (see www.bpca.org.uk/training).

If you are unsure whether your certificate has been approved by CRRU, please check via www.thinkwildlife.org or contact training@bpca.org.uk