Syngenta COO: Analysis of Bee Deaths “Unworthy” of EFSA
January 28, 2013
From: Lloyd’s
By Matthew Dalton
BRUSSELS–A new study by scientists at Europe’s food-safety agency that found risks to honey bees from three widely-used insecticides is “unworthy” of the agency and its scientists, a top executive at Syngenta, the manufacturer of one of the chemicals, said Wednesday.
The risk assessment, published Wednesday by the European Food Safety Authority, said three neonicotinoids–clothianidin and imidacloprid, which are made primarily by Bayer AG (BAYN.XE), and thiamethoxam, which is made by Syngenta AG (SYNN.VX)–pose risks to bees through contaminated dust and pesticide residues on nectar and pollen.
“It is obvious to us that EFSA has found itself under political pressure to produce a hurried and inadequate risk assessment, which even they acknowledge contains a high level of uncertainty,” said John Atkin, Syngenta’s chief operating officer, in a statement. “This report is unworthy of EFSA and of its scientists.”
Leave a Comment