Happy bees and other pollinators as the government bans bee-killing pesticides for emergency use in the UK in response to an application for its use from the NFU (National Farmers’ Union) and British Sugar. The neonicotinoid pesticide Cruiser SB, which is used on sugar beet, is highly toxic to bees and has the potential to kill the millions of the insect.
Although banned by the EU, the UK had provisionally agreed to its use in emergency circumstances to combat a plant disease known as virus yellows, by killing the aphid that spreads it. The previous Conservative government repeatedly agreed to its use against the advice of the UK Committee on Pesticides Health and the Safety Executive (HSE).
The Guardian reported that ‘Prof Dave Goulson, a bee expert at the University of Sussex, had warned that one teaspoon of the chemical was enough to kill 1.25bn honeybees. Even at non-fatal doses it can cause cognitive problems that make it hard for bees to forage for nectar and the chemicals can stay in the soil for years.’
The decision was welcomed by Greenpeace UK’s policy director, Doug Parr, who said: “This announcement is as sweet as honey. It’s a win for bees, butterflies and all pollinators, as well as every single person in this country, since our food supply is so dependent on them.”
Earlier this month a petition coordinated by Greenpeace UK and signed by more than 1.6 million people urged the government to enforce a total ban on bee-killing neonicotinoid pesticides. It was handed in to the Department of Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs (Defra) by environmental campaigners. You can read more about this here.