CFN – Friends of the Earth Canada has filed a notice of objection to Health Canada’s decision under the Pest Control Products Act to renew conditional registration of a bee-toxic pesticide, clothianidin, despite lack of due diligence by the applicant companies.
Health Canada’s agency dealing with pesticides is recommending renewing use of clothianidin on potatoes, grape, pome fruits (like apples), stone fruits and turf even though the applicant chemical companies have not met conditions of their earlier registration.
Because the pesticide accumulates in pollen and nectar, the chemical companies were required back in 2009 to do a hive study to assess chronic toxicity to bees and a study of the behaviour of clothianidin in plants.
Friends of the Earth believes this research is even more important today than it was in 2009 given the dramatic die-off of Canada’s pollinators like honey bees.
“Canada’s Minister of Health should put protection of the environment and the safety of bees ahead of profits of chemical companies,” says Beatrice Olivastri, CEO, Friends of the Earth Canada. “Clothianidin should be off the market until proven safe to bees and other pollinators.”
Clothianidin is described by Health Canada as highly toxic to bees and mammals and moderately toxic to birds. It is already under increased scrutiny in its use with corn and soy bean crops in Canada where massive bee deaths have occurred. The European Union has put in place a two year ban on its use.
The pesticides is what is destroying the bees and the birds as well. Just this morning my husband said again to me “did you notice a lot less birds than previous years” and I said yes there sure are a lot less. GMO foods is what is damaging everything and I see the stupid people eating corn that is full of it. Potatoes as well as everything these days contain that garbage. Meats are sprayed and injected. We have stopped eating a lot of meat and only a certain small amount.
Facts and science don’t mean anything to Harper’s outfit.
@ Nonbeliever. It is pretty scary when our prime minister has such a hate on for science. Talking snakes and the Flintstones seem to be his thing.
It’s probably the minister in charge (a politician) who made the decision despite the Health Canada scientists’ objections. The latter of course are under a gag order. Health Canada, because of it’s lack of the appropriate scientists, relies on the manufacturers to prove their product is safe! If the product kills bees and birds, it definitely affects humans. It is many times more dangerous than DDT which has been outlawed in many parts of the world including Canada, yet it is still being produced by Canadian and American companies for use in third world countries. How many human deaths are acceptable risk?
Friends of the Earth is a communist for profit organization singing “Give Peace A Chance” while they fleece their pockets with personal donations and government money. Lots of bees around. Get a job you hippies.
@ 420. Absolutely brilliant as usual.
Honey bees as well as monarch butterflies have all but disappeared around where I live. In the meantime, the Reformatories are preparing for the “Second Coming” of you know who. It’s a pretty scary bunch we have running our country right now.