Health Canada/Pest Management Regulatory Agency on Imidacloprid: “No potential risk to bees was indicated for seed treatment use.”
January 7, 2016
Editor’s Note: Health Canada/Pest Management Regulatory Agency’s complete “Re-evaluation Note REV2016-05, Re-evaluation of Imidacloprid – Preliminary Pollinator Assessment” is available here. Below is an excerpt.
Seed treatments
No potential risk to bees was indicated for seed treatment use.
The data set available to assess risk from treated seed included residue information in pollen, nectar or flowers of Canadian relevant crops, Tier II tunnel studies and Tier III field studies specific to seed treatment applications. Available higher tier tunnel-studies and field studies with seed treatments did not result in notable effects on bees.
The residue levels in crop pollen and nectar resulting from seed treatment uses are typically below levels expected to pose a risk to bees at both the individual bee and colony levels.
The exposure route of dust generated during planting of treated seed was also considered. Dust generated from planting of neonicotinoid treated corn and soybean seed was previously identified as a concern in Canada, and risk reduction measures were put in place in 2014 to reduce exposure to dust during planting of treated corn and soybean seed. Dust generation is related to multiple factors including the planting equipment and seed types, and at this time planting of other seed types in Canada is not associated with dust-generation or harm to pollinators.
Leave a Comment