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Pesticide harmful to bees admitted for use in the UK

Bee killing pesticide banned by the EU approved by the UK government

 

By Patryk Krych | The World Daily | JANUARY 9th 2021

 

The use of a dangerous pesticide with associations tied in with the culling of bee populations has been permitted for use in the United Kingdom amid COVID-19 and yellow virus struggles, despite an explicit European Union ban having been administered two years prior.

The EU-wide ban on a certain type of pesticide which contained neonicotinoid thiamethoxam two years ago was considered a great success for environmentalists. The chemicals in the product had long been scientifically associated with the increasing death rates of bees, and as such it was considered a priority to put a stop to it. For the past two years, the ban had proceeded as normal until now.

Due to the threats that have been posed by the spread and sanctions put in place by the COVID-19 coronavirus, combined with a recent spread of a plant-targeting virus, the lobbying efforts of the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) and British Sugar in the UK had led to the emergency allowance of the use of the pesticide. The decision is being considered rash and inappropriate, despite the generation’s struggles, and an overall regressive move.

At the moment, many people are calling for an implementation of minimal sanctions on the pesticide at the very least, in order to help prevent the dangerous chemicals from reaching rivers and spreading out too far. The British insect populations are already known to be in decline, and the use of this chemical pollutant is anticipated to only worsen the situation for the environment.

It was described as an “environmentally regressive” decision by the chief executive of the invertebrate conservation group Buglife, Matt Shardlow. He went on to state that “In addition, no action is proposed to prevent the pollution of rivers with insecticides applied to sugar beet.”

“Nothing has changed scientifically since the decision to ban neonics from use on sugar beet in 2018. They are still going to harm the environment,” he added.

The UK wasn’t the only country to make the decision of allowing use of the pesticide in the EU. Ten others have jumped to the same allowance. The decision comes amidst a great unrest and understanding that there’s a great need for sugar production – especially in times of wilting health conditions amongst citizens. Sugar from beets is known to be far less harmful than refined sugar.

What’s more, there’s said to be an increasing spread of a secondary disease in many countries now, going by the name of the ‘beet yellows virus.’ A pathogenic virus that affects plants, most commonly beets, causing them to turn a titular yellow colour and results in severe sugar losses in their yield.

“Any treatment will be used in a limited and controlled way on sugar beet, a non-flowering crop, and only when the scientific threshold has been independently judged to have been met,” said Michael Sly, the chairman of the NFU sugar board. “Virus yellows disease is having an unprecedented impact on Britain’s sugar beet crop, with some growers experiencing yield losses of up to 80%, and this authorisation is desperately needed to fight this disease. It will be crucial in ensuring that Britain’s sugar beet growers continue to have viable farm businesses.”

Back in 2018, when the EU had initiated the ban and the UK had agreed to it, the UK environment secretary at the time, Michael Gove, had said that “The weight of evidence now shows the risks neonicotinoids pose to our environment, particularly to the bees and other pollinators which play such a key part in our £100bn food industry, is greater than previously understood … We cannot afford to put our pollinator populations at risk.”

Gove went on to write in the Guardian that “Unless the evidence base changes again, the government will keep these restrictions in place after we have left the EU.” The installation and process of upholding these rules against harmful pesticides is critical for the bee populations.

The presence of bees was proven to be more than necessary for the prospering of the environment throughout decades of study – particularly for their pollination process. If such measures against bee-harming pesticides aren’t taken more seriously in future, disaster may be invoked not only on the insects, but on humanity as a consequence.

 

By Patryk Krych | © The World Daily 2021

 

 

Categories:
Environment
Tags:
EuropeUKEUPesticidesWildlife