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EU Bans Outdoor Use of Pesticides That Harm Bees

posted by mrpg on Sunday April 29 2018, @04:11AM   Printer-friendly
from the nobody-thinks-of-the-wasps dept.

Arthur T Knackerbracket has found the following story:

Bees just got a helping hand from the European Union who banned outdoor use of harmful pesticides.

With several types of bees and bumblebees on the endangered-species list, some governments are starting to do their part to protect the lives of these essential pollinators. 

The European Union voted Friday to ban outdoor use of pesticides that harms bees. Specifically, there's now a complete ban on three substances referred to as neonicotinoids -- imidacloprid, clothianidin and thiamethoxam. Scientific studies have shown that these substances can harm bees when used outside.

Also at EU Times.

Original Submission

 
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  • (Score: 3, Informative) by fritsd on Sunday April 29 2018, @11:09AM

    by fritsd (4586) on Sunday April 29 2018, @11:09AM (#673343) Journal

    I found a few more direct links:
    The EU is very wishy-washy about neonicotinoids: in 2013 their use was limited but (thanks to Bayer I'm sure) they weren't forbidden yet, citing lack of direct evidence of harm to bees.

    Then the EFSA, food safety organization, funded a new study, and their conclusion was reached in february 2018:
    Neonicotinoids: risks to bees confirmed [europa.eu]

    So that's the most relevant article about it. Then the ball was rolled back to the politicians, especially Juncker because

    it concerns biodiversity, food production and the environment

    press release: (you'll have to scroll down or search for "Protecting bees")
    Protecting bees: EU set to completely ban outdoor use of pesticides harmful to bees [europa.eu]

    I'm not even sure if that's accurate but I'll continue to search.

    Neonics page on the EC website:
    Neonicotinoids [europa.eu]

    doesn't say anything about a ban, so I think they still have to vote on it and put it into law. Watch this space :-) The press release summary said:

    The Regulation will now be adopted by the European Commission in the coming weeks and become applicable by the end of the year.

    (when they're not on vacation for several months, of course)

    It's not clear to me, on which commissioner's plate this issue landed. Maybe Jean-Claude Juncker [europa.eu] (president of the EC) or
    Vytenis Andriukaitis [europa.eu] of Health and Food Safety

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