The EPA Knowingly Allowed Pesticides that Killed Bees

[Katee]

"The mystery of the disappearing bees has been baffling scientists for years and now we get another big piece in the puzzle. From Fast Company: 'A number of theories have popped up as to why the North American honey bee population has declined — electromagnetic radiation, malnutrition, and climate change have all been pinpointed. Now a leaked EPA document reveals that the agency allowed the widespread use of a bee-toxic pesticide, despite warnings from EPA scientists.' Now environmentalists and bee keepers are calling for an immediate ban of the pesticide clothianidin, sold by Bayer Crop Science under the brand name Poncho."

Slashdot

[Islander]

The rest of the story:

'Wik-Bee Leaks: EPA Document Shows It Knowingly Allowed Pesticide That Kills Honey Bees
BY Ariel SchwartzFri Dec 10, 2010


The world honey bee population has plunged in recent years, worrying beekeepers and farmers who know how critical bee pollination is for many crops. A number of theories have popped up as to why the North American honey bee population has declined--electromagnetic radiation, malnutrition, and climate change have all been pinpointed. Now a leaked EPA document reveals that the agency allowed the widespread use of a bee-toxic pesticide, despite warnings from EPA scientists.
The document, which was leaked to a Colorado beekeeper, shows that the EPA has ignored warnings about the use of clothianidin, a pesticide produced by Bayer that mainly is used to pre-treat corn seeds. The pesticide scooped up $262 million in sales in 2009 by farmers, who also use the substance on canola, soy, sugar beets, sunflowers, and wheat, according to Grist.
The leaked document (PDF) was put out in response to Bayer's request to approve use of the pesticide on cotton and mustard. The document invalidates a prior Bayer study that justified the registration of clothianidin on the basis of its safety to honeybees:

Clothianidin’s major risk concern is to nontarget insects (that is, honey bees). Clothianidin is a neonicotinoid insecticide that is both persistent and systemic. Acute toxicity studies to honey bees show that clothianidin is highly toxic on both a contact and an oral basis. Although EFED does not conduct RQ based risk assessments on non-target insects, information from standard tests and field studies, as well as incident reports involving other neonicotinoids insecticides (e.g., imidacloprid) suggest the potential for long-term toxic risk to honey bees and other beneficial insects.

The entire 101-page memo is damning (and worth a read). But the opinion of EPA scientists apparently isn't enough for the agency, which is allowing clothianidin to keep its registration.
Suspicions about clothianidin aren't new; the EPA's Environmental Fate and Effects Division (EFAD) first expressed concern when the pesticide was introduced, in 2003, about the "possibility of toxic exposure to nontarget pollinators [e.g., honeybees] through the translocation of clothianidin residues that result from seed treatment." Clothianidin was still allowed on the market while Bayer worked on a botched toxicity study [PDF], in which test and control fields were planted as close as 968 feet apart.
Clothianidin has already been banned by Germany, France, Italy, and Slovenia for its toxic effects. So why won't the EPA follow? The answer probably has something to do with the American affinity for corn products. But without honey bees, our entire food supply is in trouble.


http://tinyurl.com/22tc2j9

[Reesacat]

I am appalled.

[LabDoc]

Interesting, was talking to a friend last month (a bee keeper) lives 2 km (thats about a mile and a half) from me who mentioned that all registered bee keepers here have been approached by some US government dept. to send hives to them as they have had their bee population destroyed by a VIRUS. Now if they were destroyed by a virus surely sending more bees, would see them also destroyed by said 'virus'. Hmmm!!
Me thinks somebody has been caught with their fingers in the honeypot.

[Reesacat]

Interesting, was talking to a friend last month (a bee keeper) lives 2 km (thats about a mile and a half) from me who mentioned that all registered bee keepers here have been approached by some US government dept. to send hives to them as they have had their bee population destroyed by a VIRUS. Now if they were destroyed by a virus surely sending more bees, would see them also destroyed by said 'virus'. Hmmm!!
Me thinks somebody has been caught with their fingers in the honeypot.

That is fascinating, LabDoc. You could very well be right!

[Woozie]

Sad thing is they've known for a long time. But who cares? It's not like we need bees for anything like food or anything.

[Reesacat]

If memory serves me right the organic farmers in our area had good healthy bee hives-which further supports this story.