UK (Parliament Politics Magazine) – The UK government plans to ban bee-killing neonicotinoids, but urgent use of the highly toxic Cruiser SB may still be permitted in the coming year.
The toxic Cruiser SB neonicotinoid may be allowed next year, as ministers consider requests from the National Farmers Union and British Sugar. This powerful pesticide damages bees by attacking their nervous systems.
Prof. Dave Goulson, a bee senior at the University of Sussex, says that just one teaspoon can kill 1.25 billion honeybees. Even minor doses can disrupt their foraging behaviour, and the chemical remains in the soil for years.
Ministers said they have proposed plans to legally restrict the use of three particular neonicotinoids, including clothianidin, imidacloprid, and thiamethoxam.
Ahead of the new UK National Action Plan (NAP) publication, this move will help outline how pesticides can be used more sustainably.
The former Conservative government bypassed the ban on neonicotinoids by granting emergency authorisations for their use in England every year for the past four years. They are only approved for urgent use when the virus yellow pest affects sugar beet plants.
Pollinators, including bees, are essential for the UK’s agricultural economy. Annual pollination is estimated at £500 million.
Following the previous government’s approval of pesticide use this year, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is being reviewed by the Office for Environmental Protection.
Nature campaigner at Friends of the Earth, Paul de Zylva stated,
“An end to the previous government’s annual pantomime of granting the ‘emergency’ use of these deeply harmful pesticides is long overdue. But we’re not out of the woods yet – the government must follow through by fully committing to a complete ban come January. And it must go even further, by scrapping the current, weak national pesticides action plan and producing a credible version instead.”
Michael Gove, the former environment secretary, pledged in 2017 that Brexit would be used to ban pesticides harmful to bee populations.
The Environment Minister Emma Hardy stated, “We are delivering on our promise to ban toxic bee-killing pesticides and ending the long-term decline of our wildlife.”
She added that protecting the environment is fundamental to food and economic security, and protecting bees from damaging neonicotinoids is a key measure to ensure the long-term health of our environment, farming industry, and waterways.
The government also stated that its dedication to supporting farmers in protecting their crops is steadfast, including the ongoing development of virus-resistant sugar beet and alternative pesticide solutions.
The British government has promised a Flood Resilience Taskforce to promote nature-based measures, like tree planting, to protect communities from extreme weather.Research indicates that neonicotinoids persist in both soil and water, posing lasting risks for pollinators. A report by the Wildlife Trusts warns that these chemicals stay in the environment long after use, threatening species like bees with ongoing exposure.