Court Bans Pesticide, Cites Bee Toxicity

A federal court in New York has banned the pesticide spirotetramat, which environmental groups say is potentially toxic to honeybees. The ruling makes it illegal to sell the pesticide, manufactured by Bayer CropScience under the trade names Movento and Ultor, in the U.S. beginning on Jan. 15. The decision settles a suit, filed by the Natural Resources Defense Council and another environmental group, the Xerces Society, which claimed that EPA did not follow proper procedures when it approved spirotetramat in 2008. EPA approved the insecticide for use on hundreds of crops, including apples, pears, peaches, tomatoes, grapes, strawberries, and spinach, but it did not provide advance notice or an opportunity for public comment. In addition, EPA did not publish its registration decision in the Federal Register. EPA is required to take all three measures under current pesticide law. The ruling orders EPA to reevaluate the impact of spirotetramat on beneficial insects, particularly honeybees. Bayer argues that it has already invested $90 million on the testing and registration of spirotetramat and that the court’s decision was made because of EPA’s procedural error, not because of concerns about bee safety.