Trump administration is being sued over its decision to allow the wider use of an insecticide linked to the deaths of entire honeybee colonies. The lawsuit comes as last year, beekeepers around the country lost over 40 percent of their colonies.
Sulfoxaflor is like other bee-killing neonicotinoid insecticides: it is absorbed into the growing plant, making it toxic to insects for many days. The effect on the entire colony can be catastrophic when honeybees bring back to the hive pollen and nectar tainted with sulfoxaflor. The colony loses the ability to fight diseases, breed and survive the winter.
The Environmental Protection Agency removed restrictions on sulfoxaflor in July and approved a host of new uses for the chemical.
“It is inappropriate for EPA to solely rely on industry studies to justify bringing sulfoxaflor back into our farm fields. … Die-offs of tens of thousands of bee colonies continue to occur and sulfoxaflor plays a huge role in this problem. … EPA is harming not just the beekeepers, their livelihood, and bees, but the nation’s food system.” – says Michele Colopy, of Pollinator Stewardship Council.
“Honeybees and other pollinators are dying in droves because of insecticides like sulfoxaflor, yet the Trump administration removes restriction just to please the chemical industry,” said Greg Loarie, Earthjustice attorney.
“This is illegal and an affront to our food system, economy, and environment.”
Around $200 billion a year in the US economy are provided by the pollinators. However, only last year, US beekeepers lost 4 out of 10 honeybee colonies.
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