Study links insecticide use to invertebrate die-offs

This study shows safety levels for chemicals are being routinely breached. Apart from not being properly tested for their risk to bees and other wildlife, pesticides are being used significantly above safe levels and without proper enforcement."Julian Little, spokesman for Bayer Cropscience, which manufactures imidacloprid, said: "There doesn't appear to be anything hugely surprising in this article. It shows the presence of high levels of insecticide in water can have effects on aquatic insects and other invertebrates. Should we have strong stewardship of insecticides to minimise any contamination of water? Yes we should and yes we do."The research combined results from wildlife and water pollution surveys at 700 sites across the Netherlands conducted between 1998 and 2009. It found a very strong correlation between high levels of imidacloprid pollution and low numbers of invertebrates. In water exceeding the Dutch national pollution limit, just 17 species were found on average, whereas 52 species were found in cleaner water.Van der Sluijs said it was highly likely the insecticide was causing the invertebrate die-offs, because imidacloprid was already known to be acutely toxic to these species and is by far the greatest pollutant in the waters. "Of all the chemicals, it is one of the prime suspects and when you look at the level of exceedence - often 100 times above national limits - it is suspect number one," he said.The scientists found several cases of extreme pollution, ...
Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - Category: Science Authors: Tags: Farming World news guardian.co.uk Netherlands Europe Animals Pesticides Insects Environment Agriculture Science Wildlife Source Type: news