The European Union added a pesticide made by German chemical firm BASF to its blacklist of substances suspected of playing a role in declining bee populations.
Member governments banned the use of agricultural insecticide fipronil to treat maize and sunflower seeds, the European Commission said.
The restrictions take effect from December 31 but seeds which have already been treated can be sown until the end of February 2014.
The ban follows similar EU curbs imposed in April on three of the world's most widely used pesticides, known as neonicotinoids, and reflects growing concern in Europe over a recent plunge in the population of honeybees critical to crop pollination and production.
Geen opmerkingen:
Een reactie posten