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San Francisco Businesses Urged Not To Sell Rat Poison

SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS) - Saying that the poison can kill a lot more than rats, San Francisco officials are trying to get local businesses to stop using certain rat poisons to eradicate rodents.

The rat poisons targeted by the city have been identified by the Environmental Protection Agency as posing an unreasonable risk to children, pets and wildlife.

Chris Geiger of the City's Department of the Environment urged business and producers of the problem poisons to stop selling them.

"When you have a definitive determination that something is dangerous and yet you strive to keep it on the market, that is unethical," he said.

KCBS' Barbara Taylor Reports:

Officials say the rat poisons could be accidentally ingested by children and pets. Also, rodents that eat the poisons are sometimes caught by hawks and other wildlife, which then die as well.

So what to do? Some experts suggest if you have a rodent problem, deal with it the old fashion way -- with a mouse trap.

(© 2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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