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Sunday, April 5th, 2015

EPA issues moratorium on new pesticides that kill birds and bees

Author:    
Source:     RT (Russia)
Publication Date:     April 03, 2015 03:30
 Link: EPA issues moratorium on new pesticides that kill birds and bees
Stephan:   This is the current state of neonicotinoid regulation in the U.S., and it is rather pathetic. Like DDT even skeptics now have to deal with the research on  neonicotinoids, because the evidence for the harm they do  is overwhelming. But it is easy to see the hand of special interests in this moratorium. Products already on the market are exempted, so the impact for good will be greatly compromised. Through corruption and greed we are tipping into a real crisis in agriculture, a double whammy: drought in the food basket counties in California, and the demise of the bees, essential agents for pollination. I think it is important to note that this regulation only occurred because of citizen action. Enough people were willing to stand up for the life-affirming option to compel this EPA action. We must continue to exert our intention to create non-toxic agriculture and humane husbandry policies that work with the meta-systems of Earth. This is a first step.

Bee 3The Environmental Protection Agency has issued a moratorium that will restrict the use of new pesticides that have been blamed for declining bee populations, though the policy does not apply to products currently on the market.

The chemicals in question, neonicotinoids, are a new class of insecticides that affect the central nervous system of insects and result in paralysis and death.

On Thursday, the EPA sent letters to companies that have applied for permits to use neonicotinoid pesticides, telling them the moratorium stands until they have assessed the risks on bee populations. The pesticides are known to have chronic effects on honey bees, birds, butterflies and other pollinator species, and are considered to be a factor in overall pollinator declines.

“EPA believes that until the data on pollinator health have been received and appropriate risk assessments completed, it is unlikely to be in a position to determine that such uses would avoid ‘unreasonable adverse effects on the environment,” the agency wrote, reported the Hill.

The EPA has made the study of new pollinator risks an agency priority, but the moratorium has no effect […]

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3 Comments

  1. Bill on Sunday, April 5, 2015 at 6:56 pm

    This moratorium is worse than pathetic, it’s criminal!

  2. Anne B. on Sunday, April 5, 2015 at 7:25 pm

    Excellent news to end my Easter Sunday. I haven’t seen a bee (or butterfly) for at least three years! I miss these beautiful busy creatures.

    • JP on Tuesday, April 7, 2015 at 5:16 pm

      This moratorium is a joke! It’s like the Surgeon General announcing that they don’t want to see any new smokers but if you already smoke just keep on smoking you’re going to be just fine.