Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

hatrack

(59,387 posts)
Tue Jun 24, 2014, 07:57 AM Jun 2014

BBC - Neonicotinoids Global Impact Comparable To DDT; 20 Years/800 Papers In Review

EDIT

In their report, to be published next month, they argue that neonicotinoids and another chemical called fipronil are poisoning the earth, the air and the water. The pesticides accumulate in the soil and leach into water, and pose a significant problem for earthworms, freshwater snails, butterflies and birds.

The researchers say that the classic measurements used to assess the toxicity of a pesticide are not effective for these systemic varieties and conceal their true impact. They point to one of the studies in the review carried out in the Netherlands. It found that higher levels of neonicotinoids in water reduced the levels of aquatic invertebrates, which are the main prey for a whole range of species including wading birds, trout and salmon.

"There is so much evidence, going far beyond bees," Prof Dave Goulson from the University of Sussex told BBC News.

"They accumulate in soils, they are commonly turning up in waterways at levels that exceed the lethal dose for things that live in streams. "It is impossible to deny that these things are having major environmental impacts."

EDIT

http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-27980344

5 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies

muriel_volestrangler

(101,083 posts)
1. Guardian article: Insecticides put world food supplies at risk, say scientists
Tue Jun 24, 2014, 08:43 AM
Jun 2014
Regulations on pesticides have failed to prevent poisoning of almost all habitats, international team of scientists concludes

The world’s most widely used insecticides have contaminated the environment across the planet so pervasively that global food production is at risk, according to a comprehensive scientific assessment of the chemicals’ impacts.

The researchers compare their impact with that reported in Silent Spring, the landmark 1962 book by Rachel Carson that revealed the decimation of birds and insects by the blanket use of DDT and other pesticides and led to the modern environmental movement.

Billions of dollars’ worth of the potent and long-lasting neurotoxins are sold every year but regulations have failed to prevent the poisoning of almost all habitats, the international team of scientists concluded in the most detailed study yet. As a result, they say, creatures essential to global food production – from bees to earthworms – are likely to be suffering grave harm and the chemicals must be phased out.

The new assessment analysed the risks associated with neonicotinoids, a class of insecticides on which farmers spend $2.6bn (£1.53bn) a year. Neonicotinoids are applied routinely rather than in response to pest attacks but the scientists highlight the “striking” lack of evidence that this leads to increased crop yields.

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/jun/24/insecticides-world-food-supplies-risk
 

fasttense

(17,301 posts)
3. I'm a CNG farmer. I don't use artificial pesticides or fertilizers, GMOs or weed killers.
Tue Jun 24, 2014, 10:21 AM
Jun 2014

Yet all around me from my obnoxious neighbor to the corn and soy industrial farmer, they are pouring chemicals allover. They are spreading poisons around like rain water and it is perfectly legal for them to contaminate my farm. If I grow corn or soy beans, how do I know if it got some GMO pollen? I can't save seeds. If I use water from the stream, how do I know what gets poured into it as it goes pas my neighbor's property. is in it? My neighbor pours round-up all over our shared fence line. When I asked him to stop he increased the amount. I've seen him let the 8 year old boy spray round-up from the back of their ATV. As it came pouring out, the wind blew it right into the boy's face. His live in girl friend got cancer and the neighbor on his other fence line got cancer. Eventually he'll get cancer and wonder why.

Botany

(70,219 posts)
4. With the ash borer in Ohio some tree care companies use neo-nics to treat ash trees to prevent ....
Tue Jun 24, 2014, 10:40 AM
Jun 2014

.... borer infestations which they use as a systemic and that gets into the leaf tissue
which hammers our native birds, insects and pollinators such as the leaf cutter bee.

Latest Discussions»Issue Forums»Environment & Energy»BBC - Neonicotinoids Glob...