Pesticides have been considered a necessary evil in agriculture over many decades to protect vital crops from being destroyed. However, the danger from the chemicals used to destroy pests can also do damage to other creatures, particularly bees.
In the US, the federal government is being sued because of the damage done to bees by pesticides it has licensed. A group consisting of beekeepers, food campaigners and conservationists says the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is responsible for destroying bees because it has not suspended certain nerve agents for use.
Bees are essential for successful pollination of plants and for three-quarters of all food groups and so, argue advocates of a ban on certain pesticides, they should be protected by all means necessary.
The nerve agents at the centre of the lawsuit are known as neonicotinoids and are the most widely used pesticides around the world. However, environmental officials in the European Union are now considering suspending their use across the EU.
The Centre for Food Safety is leading the coalition suing the EPA and says it has taken this action only because the agency has failed to address the need to protect bees. The lawsuit names the pesticides clothianidin, made by Bayer, and thiamethoxan, manufactured by Syngenta. Both companies are represented by industry group Crop Life America (CLA), which is backing the EPA and says the neonicotinoids are not only rigorously tested but also essential for modern agriculture.
The EPA said it worked aggressively to protect bees and other pollinators from pesticide risks, and was bringing forward a review of neonicotinoid pesticides and their potential effects. That review will not, however, be completed until 2018.
Bee numbers have fallen dramatically in recent years, especially in the number of queens produced. Along with the use of pesticides, disease and habitat loss are blamed for a declining bee population.
Comments are closed.