Rodenticide solution: Judge Robinson develops 'rodenticide'

If Judge Robinson’s schedule allows, he may give a presentation on his ‘rodenticide’ in Colfax this coming February or March.

District Court Judge Doug Robinson has for several years had problems with mice and other rodents on his nine-acre property on Klemgard Road, just west of the Ewartsville elevators. With the problem facing him, Robinson wanted to look into a rodenticide which would be a solution but also not harm other organisms.

He believes he has accomplished that now.

“What I have developed is what is referred to as a rodenticide, a mouse bait, using all natural substances that have no negative consequences for any other organisms,” he said.

Robinson said that if a dog, cat or owl were to come along and consume a mouse that ate the rodenticide, those animals would not be harmed by the poison.

“It doesn't phase them, as opposed to commonly-used rodenticides,” said Robinson.

Robinson talked about his rodenticide at the Cup of Joe in Pullman Wednesday, Jan. 4, and Sarah McKnight, Southeast Washington Economic Development Association director, hopes to have Robinson give a report on the project in Colfax.

“If his schedule allows, I'd like to have him here in February or March,” she said.

He would be booked for the Colfax Cup of Joe, which is the last Wednesday of every month. McKnight said bringing him here would make more people aware of his product and help him to establish more opportunities for it to be researched.

“We're hoping it's going to be bigger. We need to plug it into scientific research so that we can prove that it works,” she said. “He swears by it, and others who have used it swear by it, but let's prove it. We want to help this take off outside of Whitman County.”

Robinson said he has been able to get his product patented, and he now needs to go through the process to have it certified by the Environmental Protection Agency.

“That's a huge process,” he said, noting it could cost more than $200,000. “Quite extensive.”

One step it will need to go through is a research phase, and Robinson hopes to be able to connect with Washington State University or University of Idaho doctorate students or other researchers to get that off the ground.

“If this proves to be effective and could gain EPA certification, it could be a very effective tool,” he said.

Robinson developed his rodenticide after purchasing a similar product “several years ago.”

“We had problems with mice particularly in our vehicles,” he said. “I bought the product, and I figured out what was used and played with it.”

He said he is able to develop the rodenticide with ingredients available at any hardware store.

“It's one of those inventions where you take a product and improve on it,” he said.

McKnight said she will announce the time and date when to Robinson will talk about his project in Colfax.