KNOWLEDGE
Integrated Pest Management, or IPM, is an ecosystem-based strategy focused on long-term prevention of pests and pest damage. It combines methods such as monitoring, habitat management, changes in practices, biological control and, where relevant, resistant materials or designs. Chemical control is used only when monitoring shows it is needed, and then in a way that targets the pest while minimizing risk to people, non-target organisms and the environment.
Although IPM has its roots in agriculture, where it developed from the 1950s and 1960s as a response to over-reliance on pesticides, the same principles are now central to modern public-health pest management. In rodent control, this means understanding the full environment around the problem, not just reacting to the visible activity.
By Alja Kristensen, Nordisk Innovation
Understanding Why Rats Are Present
Effective rat management starts with understanding why rats are present, how they move, what supports them, and how future access can be reduced. Habitat management is central to this. Food availability, shelter, harborage, waste handling, vegetation, building defects and drainage access can all create conditions that allow rat activity to continue.
A Global Shift Towards Prevention
This prevention-first thinking is now visible in many markets. The Netherlands introduced a stricter IPM framework for rats and mice in 2023, in which preventive and non-chemical measures must be used first, with chemical control reserved for the final step. The UK has developed strong rodenticide stewardship, with a focus on responsible use and professional decision-making. Similar principles are also reflected across the EU, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the United States.
Why Drainage Systems Matter
One access route deserves particular attention: drainage. Rats live in drains, and drainage systems can provide a direct route between public infrastructure and private buildings. The British Pest Control Association (BPCA) has highlighted that, on average, an estimated 80% of rat infestations within homes originate from drainage issues, such as defective drains, uncapped dry lines or altered drainage connected to extensions and utilities.
The Role of Rat Blockers in IPM
This is where Rat Blockers have a clear role. They are not a complete pest control program, and they do not replace professional judgment. They are an exclusion tool that helps reduce one important access route: ingressions through sewer and drainage systems.
In practical IPM, Rat Blockers fit into the Prevention & Habitat Management (exclusion) layer. When correctly selected, installed, inspected and maintained, they help reduce the risk of rats entering buildings from drainage systems. They work best alongside proofing, habitat management, improved sanitation, monitoring, trapping, targeted rodenticide use where appropriate, follow-up inspections and documentation.
Denmark’s Experience with Prevention-First Rat Control
Denmark has used a prevention-first approach to sewer-based rat control since 2012, even before the term IPM became common in Danish rodent-management terminology. Sewer-based exclusion has been applied at scale, with more than 300,000 buildings protected with Rat Blockers based on Nordisk Innovation’s market experience and installed-base reporting.
Prevention First, Chemicals Last
For pest professionals everywhere, the direction is clear: prevent what can be prevented, use chemicals only when necessary, and document every step of the process.
Source Notes
BPCA — Drainage Inspections for Rodents
Statement that rats live in drains and the estimate that around 80% of domestic rat infestations originate from drainage issues.
https://bpca.org.uk/news/drainage-inspections-for-rodents/277883
USDA / National Invasive Species Information Center — Integrated Pest Management
Formal ecosystem-based definition of IPM.
https://www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/subject/integrated-pest-management
IPM2023 Netherlands
Dutch IPM approach to rats and mice, including the prevention-first and non-chemical-first framework.
CRRU UK — Code of Best Practice
UK rodenticide stewardship and responsible-use framing.
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A long-term investment
At Nordisk Innovation, we supply carefully tested rat barriers, which sewer managers and municipalities across the country use as an effective and non-toxic solution. The barriers prevent rats from moving up service pipes and into buildings – and play a key role in any long-term control strategy.
Time for action
Rat problems will not resolve themselves, and they cannot be combated with temporary solutions. A thorough and systematic approach involving authorized sewer engineers, the use of documentation, and the right technical solutions is the way forward.
Do you also want to be at the forefront of rat control?
At Nordisk Innovation, we help municipalities implement non-toxic, intelligent, and documentable solutions.
We recommend that you use a partner who is approved for both sewage and pest control – we will help you get started.
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