Canada, EU taking steps to ban pesticide hurting bee population
Posted April 30, 2018 5:42 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
OTTAWA (NEWS 1130) – The European Union and Canada are taking steps against the world’s most used pesticide, neonicotinoids.
Last week, the EU banned the use of neonicotinoids while Canada currently has a lawsuit in Federal Court over pesticides blamed for killing bee populations.
“In our area of Canada we have not found that those group of chemicals are hurting tiny bees. The beekeepers in Ontario have found they are hurting tiny bees,” says John Gibeau, the founder of the Honeybee Centre.
“However, the neonicotinoid ban would be good for all of Canada, if not the rest of the world because the practice is hurting indigenous bees like Bumble and Mason Bees.”
Gibeau says the practice of using neonicotinoids is harmful to bee populations but alternatives could be worse.
“As long as the replacements aren’t as pervasive then it’ll be better for the environment. Don’t hold your breath that the environment will be better off by banning the neonicotinoids, something else is going to be put in place.”
Gibeau’s ultimate solution to the issue isn’t an easy one. He believes the best way to deal with this issue is changing to small scale farming practices because intensive farming practices encourage the use of pesticides.
