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Date:         Wed, 28 Jan 2009 12:22:33 -0500
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From:         Laurel Hopwood <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: UK Co-op bans eight pesticides after worldwide beehive collapse
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http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/jan/28/bees-coop-pesticide

Co-op bans eight pesticides after worldwide beehive collapse

First UK supermarket chain =96 and Britain's biggest farmer =96 to prohibit
chemicals implicated in the death of over one-third of British bees

*Alison Benjamin*

28 January 2009

EDITED


The Co-op today became the first UK supermarket to ban the use of a group of
pesticides implicated in billions of honeybee deaths worldwide.


It is prohibiting suppliers of its own-brand fresh produce from using eight
pesticides that have been connected to honeybee colony collapse disorder and
are already restricted in some parts of Europe.


The Co-op said it will eliminate the usage of the neonicotinoid family of
chemicals where possible and until they are shown to be safe. The Co-op has
over 70,000 acres of land under cultivation in England and Scotland, making
it the largest farmer in the UK. Since 2001, it has already prohibited the
use of 98 pesticides under its pesticide policy.


Simon Press, senior technical manager at the Co-op group said: "We believe
that the recent losses in bee populations need definitive action, and as a
result are temporarily prohibiting the eight neonicotinoid pesticides until
we have evidence that refutes their involvement in the decline."


Laboratory tests suggest that one of the banned chemicals, imidacloprid, can
impede honeybees' sophisticated communication and navigation systems. It has
been banned in France for a decade as a seed dressing on sunflowers. Italy,
Slovenia and Germany banned neonicotinoids last year after the loss of
millions of honeybees. And the European Parliament voted earlier this month
for tougher controls on bee-toxic chemicals.


Paul Monaghan, the Co-op's head of social goals accused the UK government of
failing to recognise that "pesticides could be a contributing factor" in the
breakdown of nature's number one pollinating machine.


NOTE: Sierra Club urges EPA to suspend nicotinyl insecticides

http://www.sierraclub.org/biotech/whatsnew/whatsnew_2008-07-30.asp

The EPA wrote me back and in their letter admitted that they're not testing
for low level exposures!

laurel hopwood, sierra club genetic engineering action network chair

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<div><p style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Georgia"><a h=
ref=3D"http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/jan/28/bees-coop-pesticide=
">http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/jan/28/bees-coop-pesticide</a><=
/p>

<p style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 26.0px Georgia; color: #3=
33333">Co-op bans eight pesticides after worldwide beehive collapse</p>
<p style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 16.0px Arial; color: #666=
666">First UK supermarket chain =96 and Britain&#39;s biggest farmer =96 to=20=
prohibit chemicals implicated in the death of over one-third of British bees=
</p>

<p style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Arial; color: #005=
788"><b>Alison Benjamin</b></p>
<p style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Arial; color: #333=
333">28 January 2009&nbsp;</p>
<p style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Arial; color: #666=
666">EDITED</p>
<p style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Arial; color: #666=
666; min-height: 14.0px"><br></p>
<p style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial; color: #333=
333">The Co-op today became the first UK supermarket to ban the use of a gro=
up of <span style=3D"color: #005788">pesticides</span> implicated in <span s=
tyle=3D"color: #005788">billions of honeybee deaths</span> worldwide.</p>

<p style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial; color: #333=
333; min-height: 16.0px"><br></p>
<p style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial; color: #333=
333">It is prohibiting suppliers of its own-brand fresh produce from using e=
ight pesticides that have been connected to <span style=3D"color: #005788">h=
oneybee colony collapse disorder</span> and are <span style=3D"color: #00578=
8">already restricted in some parts of Europe</span>.</p>

<p style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial; color: #333=
333; min-height: 16.0px"><br></p>
<p style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial; color: #333=
333">The <span style=3D"color: #005788">Co-op</span> said it will eliminate=20=
the usage of the neonicotinoid family of chemicals where possible and until=20=
they are shown to be safe. The Co-op has over 70,000 acres of land under cul=
tivation in England and Scotland, making it the largest farmer in the UK. Si=
nce 2001, it has already prohibited the use of 98 pesticides under its pesti=
cide policy.</p>

<p style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial; color: #333=
333; min-height: 16.0px"><br></p>
<p style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial; color: #333=
333">Simon Press, senior technical manager at the Co-op group said: &quot;We=
 believe that the recent losses in bee populations need definitive action, a=
nd as a result are temporarily prohibiting the eight neonicotinoid pesticide=
s until we have evidence that refutes their involvement in the decline.&quot=
;</p>

<p style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial; color: #333=
333; min-height: 16.0px"><br></p>
<p style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial; color: #333=
333">Laboratory tests suggest that <span style=3D"color: #005788">one of the=
 banned chemicals, imidacloprid</span>, can impede honeybees&#39; sophistica=
ted communication and navigation systems. It has been banned in France for a=
 decade as a seed dressing on sunflowers. Italy, Slovenia and <span style=
=3D"color: #005788">Germany banned neonicotinoids</span> last year after the=
 loss of millions of honeybees. And the <span style=3D"color: #005788">Europ=
ean Parliament</span> voted earlier this month for tougher controls on bee-t=
oxic chemicals.</p>

<p style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial; color: #333=
333; min-height: 16.0px"><br></p>
<p style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial; color: #333=
333">Paul Monaghan, the Co-op&#39;s head of social goals accused the UK gove=
rnment of failing to recognise that &quot;pesticides could be a contributing=
 factor&quot; in the breakdown of nature&#39;s number one pollinating machin=
e.</p>

<p style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial; color: #333=
333; min-height: 16.0px"><br></p><p style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px=
; font: 14.0px Arial; color: #333333; min-height: 16.0px">NOTE:&nbsp;<span c=
lass=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"font-family: Verdana; ">Sierra Club urges=
 EPA to suspend nicotinyl insecticides</span></p>
<p style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial; color: #333=
333; min-height: 16.0px"></p><p style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; fo=
nt: 14.0px Georgia"><a href=3D"http://www.sierraclub.org/biotech/whatsnew/wh=
atsnew_2008-07-30.asp">http://www.sierraclub.org/biotech/whatsnew/whatsnew_2=
008-07-30.asp</a></p>
<p style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Georgia">The EPA w=
rote me back and in their letter admitted that they&#39;re not testing for l=
ow level exposures!</p><p style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14=
.0px Georgia">
laurel hopwood, sierra club genetic engineering action network chair</p>
<p style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Verdana"><br></p>
<p></p>
</div>
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