Whole Foods supermarket in Silicon Valley, closed for over 5 months due to a severe rodent infestation, reopened on September 29th. The inability to use rodenticides to address the rodent problem sparked intense controversy over California’s ban on rodenticides.
After the Cupertino-based Whole Foods store reopened, customers noticed trimmed trees around the store, all entrances equipped with Xcluder door sweeps, and toilet gaps sealed. Various improvements inside and outside the store, including other structures, were made to prevent further rodent invasions. The company stated that these measures were taken as proactive actions to prevent future issues.
Whole Foods informed the Epoch Times that they are “closely cooperating with local government to implement comprehensive improvement measures,” but did not disclose specific costs.
California implemented the new law AB2552 earlier this year, making it the strictest state in the U.S. for regulating rodenticides. The legislation prohibits the use of anticoagulant rodenticides.
Jon Gaeta, Senior Director of Government Affairs at Responsible Industry for a Sound Environment (RISE), an organization representing the U.S. pesticide and fertilizer industry, told the Epoch Times via email, “Unnecessary overregulation of these products has real consequences, as evidenced by this case.”
He stated, “Without these restrictions, the rodent problem could have been easily solved using EPA-approved rodenticides, but instead, it led to the supermarket being closed for 5 months.”
Since 2020, California has passed several bills restricting or banning rodenticides to protect wildlife, including AB1788 in 2020, AB1322 in 2023, and AB2552 in 2024.
The incident began on March 25th when inspectors from the Santa Clara County Department of Environmental Health found a small amount of rodent feces below stairs leading to the office in the store. The store was instructed to clean and disinfect the area and ensure that similar issues do not occur during the next routine inspection.
However, the rodent control company hired by the Whole Foods store no longer used rodenticides following the ban, and dealing with rodent infestation solely through mechanical traps posed higher difficulty as rodents often ignore traps. From April 20th to 22nd, the store continued to call for rodent control services in preparation for the next inspection. However, by April 22nd, the rodent issue had become uncontrollable.
The inspection report that day noted, “Although rodent traps were placed throughout the premises, rodent feces were still found in six areas.” Moreover, rodent activity had expanded to several areas beyond the deli, juice bar, and bakery within the store.
As a result, the Environmental Health Department decided to close the entire store.
According to current California law, under special circumstances, exceptions can be made to use banned substances. If rodent infestation poses a threat to public health and other control methods (including non-chemical means) are ineffective, applications can be submitted to state or local public health officials.
The rodent control company for Whole Foods submitted an application on April 25th, stating that the rodent infestation posed an emergency threat to public health. However, Marilyn C. Underwood, Director of the Santa Clara County Department of Environmental Health, replied in an email to the Epoch Times, “After careful review, we rejected the application as the situation did not meet the standard for an emergency public health need.”
Underwood added, “Rodenticides cannot address the fundamental issue of rodents entering food facilities and nesting.”
The supermarket’s renovation plan was approved by the Cupertino city government in July. After completing the renovations, the store passed the final inspection on September 10th and reopened by the end of the month.
According to data from the Santa Clara County Department of Environmental Health, the number of facilities closed due to rodent issues this year has exceeded the past few years.
The department stated that from January to October 1st, 214 facilities were ordered to close due to rodent infestations, surpassing 152 in 2024 and 102 in 2023. During the same period, the department issued 366 rodent-related violation notices, exceeding 357 in 2024.
Gaeta mentioned that before the ban, California already had strict regulations on rodenticide use, and proper use of pesticides could effectively control severe rodent issues without harming the environment or public health.
“In California, pesticides are already subject to strict oversight and scrutiny by both the EPA and the California Department of Pesticide Regulation,” Gaeta said. “This dual supervision and enforcement system help ensure the safety and regulatory compliance of pesticide use in California, aligning with federal regulations and scientific standards – making laws like AB2552 redundant and potentially detrimental to public health.”
Federal Congresswoman Laura Friedman has not responded to the controversy. During her tenure as a California State Assemblywoman, she spearheaded multiple bills restricting rodenticide use.