EPA Approves Another Pesticide Highly Toxic to Bees
Source: EcoWatch
Flying in the face of recent science demonstrating that pollinator populations are declining, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has made the decision to unconditionally register another pesticide that is known to be highly toxic to beesalmost one year after the EPA registered sulfoxaflor, disregarding concerns from beekeepers and environmental groups.
The announcement, posted in the Federal Register on Wednesday, set tolerances for the pesticide cyantraniliprole in foods ranging from almonds and berries, to leafy vegetables, onions and milk. The EPA establishes the allowable limit of the chemical residue, called tolerances, based on what the EPA considers acceptable risk. The EPAs ruling details that there is a reasonable certainty that no harm will result from aggregate exposure to the pesticide residue, despite all evidence that cyantraniliprole is toxic to bees and harmful to mammals.
In July 2013, beekeepers filed suit against EPA for their decision to register sulfoxaflor when it failed to demonstrate that it will not cause any unreasonable adverse effects on the environment as required by the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). Several comments were submitted by concerned beekeepers and environmental advocacy groups, like Beyond Pesticides, during the public comment period that stated that approval of a cyantriliprole. The pesticide would only exacerbate the problems faced by an already tenuous honey bee industry and further decimate bee populations. However, instead of denying or suspending registration in the face of dire pollinator losses, the EPA has chosen to register another insecticide that is toxic to bees, dismissing concerns regarding bee health in its response, and setting itself up for further litigation.
Cyantraniliprole is a systemic insecticide that works by impairing the regulation of muscle contractions causing paralysis and eventual death in insects. Beyond its impact to target pestswhich include sucking and chewing insects such as whiteflies and thripsthe EPAs most disturbing conclusions relate to the impact of cyantraniliprole on the livers of mammals: With repeated dosing, consistent findings of mild to moderate increases in liver weights across multiple species (rats, mice and dogs) are observed. Dogs appear to be more sensitive than rats and mice
show[ing] progressive severity with increased duration of exposure.
Read more: http://ecowatch.com/2014/02/07/epa-approves-another-pesticide-toxic-bees/
valerief
(53,235 posts)Squinch
(51,004 posts)LiberalEsto
(22,845 posts)Environment? What environment?
BlancheSplanchnik
(20,219 posts)I feel sick, seeing this.
gotta find the quickest way to feed ever growing masses of people, you know. Short term solutions, WE WANTS 'EM!!!
Nihil
(13,508 posts)warrant46
(2,205 posts)dougolat
(716 posts)It's first action was to block the Agent Orange ban from the U.S. for 8 years.
warrant46
(2,205 posts)Thousands of Veterans are also familiar with that every day
catchnrelease
(1,945 posts)What is wrong with those people? Calling them the environmental protection agency is a monumental joke.
Auggie
(31,186 posts)loudsue
(14,087 posts)It has to stop!
Javaman
(62,534 posts)patent them an sue anyone whose flowers or veggies are pollinated by them. That's the end game.
I'm only half kidding.
Kip Humphrey
(4,753 posts)Javaman
(62,534 posts)and will then promptly spray plant killer on them.
Scalded Nun
(1,239 posts)to get the results they planned on ignoring anyway.
Sick, evil, paid-for bastards.
I'd like to see them have to drink buckets of the shit they say won't hurt us.
sulphurdunn
(6,891 posts)would be forced to conclude that the global moneyed elite is determined to commit ecocide for money. Perhaps, they believe they will somehow survive in their remote and well provisioned compounds, protected by their Black Water thugs. I used to think they were smarter than that.
blkmusclmachine
(16,149 posts)840high
(17,196 posts)let them know how we feel.
840high
(17,196 posts)Judi Lynn
(160,621 posts)jsr
(7,712 posts)Sunlei
(22,651 posts)very few bees,butterflys. /Sad, looks like all these huge 'farms' use systemics to kill 'problem pests'. Homeowners too use those systemic plant spikes to kill off plant pests.
That stuff is so freaking toxic to many species, including humans.
TheKentuckian
(25,029 posts)and all the protest and counter examples in the world don't fully wash off the stink because it doesn't and the point isn't about being the same really, it is about neither governing level party doing what is needed and broadly beneficial for the people of the nation or the world which we openly claim leadership in.
Bubblegum and superglue don't have to be the same for me to understand that neither is toothpaste and they do have some functional similarities when used in certain applications.
frwrfpos
(517 posts)bought and paid for. sick shit this country is
LeftOfWest
(482 posts)while banging my head against the wall.
I will send this out far and wide.
peoli
(3,111 posts)arikara
(5,562 posts)who are appointed / hired by idiots. Or sociopaths. Take your pick. There is no good reason for this kind of shit.
DeSwiss
(27,137 posts)K&R
Useless in FL
(329 posts)Oh no
greatlaurel
(2,004 posts)I would be very curious what the internal conversations about the approval of this pesticide. There are a lot of great scientists, engineers and attorneys at USEPA. It is disappointing to see them trashed in comments I have seen here. It shows how little folks understand how our government works. The internal documents would let us know from where the approval came. Did pressure come from Vilsack or did the scientists who do the analyses really think Cyantraniliprole would have an acceptable risk.
We need to understand that all pesticides, even ones approved for use on organic farms carry risks, since they are all designed to kill insects. Some pesticides carry much less risk as the way insects are killed are different, For instance the dormant oils kill the insects by smothering them, but there is still an inhalation risk when the oils are sprayed.
swilton
(5,069 posts)follows politicization of military intelligence, the State Department's Keystone Pipeline report, FDA, etc., etc.....
countryjake
(8,554 posts)with the hope that those showing concern in this thread will appreciate viewing the photos in Hissyspit's thread.
Beautiful Macroportraits of Bees
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024473462
Humans ignore the destruction of these valuable, magnificent creatures at their own peril.
Ponietz
(3,004 posts)Just a week after the USDA suspends data collection on bee populations.
Industrial sorghum growers are at least partially responsible.
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