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Posted: 17th January 2013

Insecticide danger to bees addressed
European report looks at chemical risk

A report by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has deemed the world's most widely-used insecticide an unacceptable danger to bees.

The report was demanded by the European commission in April, following two major studies earlier in the spring that found a link between the use of neonicotinoids and the UK's decline in bees. Further studies have been produced since.

Bees and other pollinators are critical to one-third of all food, therefore, the report examined the risk posed by the chemicals, including the widely-used insecticide, imidacloprid.

Working together with experts from across Europe, EFSA's report concluded that the use of imidacloprid would only be considered acceptable on crops that honeybees are not attracted to.

EFSA added that it found a widespread lack of information in many areas, earlier stating that current "simplistic" regulations contained "major weaknesses".

Andrew Pendleton, of Friends of the Earth, said: "This is a major turning point in the battle to save our bees. EFSA have sounded the death knell for one of the chemicals most frequently linked to bee decline and cast serious doubt over the safety of the whole neonicotinoid family."

However, a spokesperson for the company that produces imidaclopid, said: "The company is ready to work with the European commission and member states to address the perceived data gaps.

"We believe it is very important that any political decision relating to registrations of neonicotinoid-containing products should be based on clear, scientific evidence of adverse effects."



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