nicotine

Three More Countries Restrict Bee-Killing Nicotine Pesticides

Submitted by Kevin Hansen on August 4, 2012 - 14:41

Three more countries have put additional pressure on nicotine pesticides, one of the leading suspects in the global honey bee die-offs:

Canada has asked for most of the nicotine pesticides to be re-evaluated - this is a huge step that slows pesticide manufacturers:
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/cps-spc/pubs/pest/_decisions/rev2012-02/index-eng...

Brazil (Brasil) has forced Monsanto to pay about $7.5 BILLION in fines because its nicotine-pesticide-coated and GMO soya/soybeans were being used to force farmers not to save their own seeds - while paying a punitive 2% tax. Brazil's supreme court took action to protect farmers' rights to save seeds - and also restrict toxic seeds:
http://www.corpwatch.org/article.php?id=15747

France has banned Syngenta's canola/rapeseed brand because of honeybee losses to this toxic product. This ban was upheld by French courts:
http://www.farming.co.uk/news/article/6767

Locations

Canada
See map: Google Maps
Brazil
See map: Google Maps
France

Bee-Killing Nicotine Pesticide Illegally Registered in US - One Million+ Sign Emergency Petition

Submitted by Kevin Hansen on March 24, 2012 - 17:14

A remarkable emergency petition with over one million signatures has been submitted to the USEPA requesting the withdrawal of the pesticide clothianidin - a nicotine-based systemic pesticide widely used on corn/maize. Multiple activist organizations participated, lead by major US beekeepers.

The basis of the petition is that the USEPA's legal requirements for the demonstrated safety of clothianidin were never proven - and subsequent findings have shown its damages - violating the US law FIFRA, which governs the registration process for pesticides.

A coalition of beekeepers and activists gained over one million signatures on this petition, that walks step-by-step through the reasoning behind the proposed determination of the clothianidin registration's illegality - used as the basis for the withdrawal request.

This is fantastic.

http://www.beyondpesticides.org/pollinators/CFS-Clothianidin-Petition-3-...

Please pass this link to whomever you think might benefit.

Top US Bee Experts: Nicotine Pesticides Worsen Bee Diseases

Submitted by Kevin Hansen on February 12, 2012 - 21:34

This is a really big deal:

A team of the top United States honeybee experts at the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Beltsville, Maryland, laboratory near Washington DC has published a damning report linking tiny sub-lethal concentrations of one nicotine pesticide, imidacloprid, with an increase in another common gut disease, Nosema.

Although many other studies before this suggested similar findings, the US government has been far behind - this is therefore a breakthrough. It also acknowledges some of the major work done by French researchers: until now, the groundbreaking French research was largely ignored by official US government agencies. Look for breakthroughs because of this work.

The original article linked above was released for public/open access (thanks Springer Publishing for making this open access!!). It is a top-downloaded article at this time on Springer's website.

Abstract of Original Article:

Major Study: Multiple Routes of Pesticide Exposure for Honeybees Living Near Agricultural Fields

Submitted by Kevin Hansen on January 14, 2012 - 13:13

A major new study from Purdue University researchers highlights that honeybees face a long list of pesticide dangers near agriculture. Multiple toxic agents combined, via several simultaneous routes of exposure mean bees are in peril from many sources.

The complete article is open-access from PLos ONE, attached above (thanks PLos ONE and the authors for making this important article OPEN ACCESS!!!).

Toxic food.

I'm concerned that our food would be toxic in multiple ways simultaneously.

Pesticide Risk Increases Over Time

Submitted by Kevin Hansen on January 5, 2012 - 20:01

A very important shift may be occurring in our understanding of pesticides: risk may increase over time, rendering even very small amounts of pesticides such as some nicotine-based neonicotinoids much more toxic than previously realized.

Dutch researcher Dr. Henk Tennekes, with Dr. Francisco Sanchez-Bayo of Australia, have shown this in a new article in the Journal of Environmental & Analytical Toxicology: "Time-Dependent Toxicity of Neonicotinoids and Other Toxicants: Implications for a New Approach to Risk Assessment" that is an open-access research article downloadable with the link shown above. I corresponded with Dr. Tennekes, who summarized his deep concerns:

"By Dr. Henk Tennekes

AN ECOLOGICAL DISASTER THAT WILL AFFECT US ALL

Excellent Analysis of New Bee-Dieoff Research by Scottish Beekeeper Graham White

Submitted by Pierre Terre on January 20, 2011 - 13:05

Please see an important article from The Independent Newspaper in London: http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/nature/exclusive-bees-facing-a-...

Very Good Analysis of the data presesnted by Mike McCarthy in The Independent (link above) by Graham White, Bee-keeper, 'Friends of the Bees' - Location: Coldstream, Scottish Borders; Tel: (44) 01890 882 713 

Download Leaked USEPA Report on Unreported Dangers of Bee-Killer Clothianidin

Submitted by Pierre Terre on January 18, 2011 - 14:31

Recently, an important USEPA internal document was leaked regarding the previously undisclosed toxicity of the nicotine pesticide clothianidin ('officially' disclosed - there have been lots of reports disclosing this problem outside of the USEPA). The report's authors suggested that:

Location: 
USEPA Headquarters Washington, DC
United States
38° 53' 42.4032" N, 77° 2' 10.9176" W
See map: Google Maps

Location

USEPA Headquarters Washington, DC
United States
38° 53' 42.4032" N, 77° 2' 10.9176" W
See map: Google Maps

UK House of Commons Moves to Ban Nicotine Pesticides Killing Honey Bees Worldwide

Submitted by Pierre Terre on January 18, 2011 - 14:10

In a telling move, triggered by the increasing data regarding the role of nicotine pesticides in the devastation of honeybees worldwide, nine parliamentarians in the UK House of Commons moved to ban these chemicals. 

They state:

Avaaz.org calls for a ban on nicotine pesticides

Submitted by Kevin Hansen on January 6, 2011 - 16:07

Today, the major international organization Avaaz.org called for a ban on the use of the nicotine pesticides strongly implicated in the die-offs of honeybees and pollinators dying worldwide:

https://secure.avaaz.org/en/save_the_bees_usa/?cl=895640742&v=8117

We urge  everyone to sign this important petition.

Cheers, Kevin

 

 

 

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