"The American Bird Conservancy is calling for a ban on using one of the globe's most widely used classes of insecticides in seed treatments and for a suspension of all other uses, pending an independent review of its impact on birds and other wildlife."
"The Bird Conservancy, one of the nation's most active bird-conservation groups, released a 97-page report Monday that says that independent studies of the damage to birds and aquatic ecosystems they depend upon for food raise 'significant environmental concerns' and that the Environmental Protection Agency has been too lenient in allowing the use of this class of insecticides, called neonicotinoids.
Their possible role in the decline of honeybee populations in the USA and Europe has spurred intense debate among scientists, wildlife advocates and manufacturers, and the EPA is re-evaluating its registration of this class of insecticide.
The EPA will 'carefully consider the study results and conclusions cited in this report,' and the agency's review 'is not limited to impact on bees,' said Jim Jones, acting assistant administrator for the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention."
Chuck Raasch reports for USA TODAY March 18, 2013.
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