Canada plans to phase out neonicotinoids

Pesticides thought to kill bees will be restricted in Canada starting in 3 years: sources

OTTAWA — The federal government will begin phasing out the outdoor use of nicotine-based pesticides beginning in 2021, part of an effort to stem the mysterious decline of honey bee colonies around the world.

The Pest Management Regulatory Agency of Canada will announce Wednesday a three-year phaseout of two of the three main neonicotinoid pesticides currently approved for use in the country, sources close to the decision said.

The agency has already announced plans to phase out the third pesticide in all outdoor uses, meaning it can’t be sprayed or used to pretreat seeds before planting.

Neonicotinoids, or neonics, are a class of pesticides that manage pests like aphids and spider mites. Scientists blame the chemicals for weakening bees, making them more susceptible to disease and bad weather.

Today’s decision will mark the completion of nearly six years of work by the agency, and follows a similar ban by the European Union that takes effect at the end of the year.

Environmental groups say they are glad to see Canada moving ahead with a ban.

“This is a really huge decision,” said John Bennett, a senior policy adviser at Friends of the Earth Canada.

Health Canada is breaking from what the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is doing, Bennett noted — an unusual move, considering Canada and the U.S. are normally in lockstep on such decisions and the reviews in both countries were a group effort.

While the EPA has yet to fully announce its decision concerning all applications of neonics, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service last week lifted an existing ban that prevented their use in wildlife refuges.