For your information:

 

 

http://www.efsa.europa.eu/fr/press/news/130527.htm

EFSA assesses risks to bees from fipronil

 

Communiqué de presse

27 mai 2013

 

The insecticide fipronil poses a high acute risk to honeybees when used as a
seed treatment for maize, EFSA has concluded in a report requested by the
European Commission. EFSA was asked to perform a risk assessment of
fipronil, paying particular regard to the acute and chronic effects on
colony survival and development and the effects of sublethal doses on bee
mortality and behaviour.

 

EFSA’s pesticide risk assessment experts examined the potential risk to bees
from the active substance through a number of exposure routes. They
concluded the following:

 

      • Risk from dust drift: A high acute risk was identified for maize.
For other field crops, including sunflower, full risk assessments could not
be completed so the level of risk from exposure to dust originating from
seed drilling could not be established.

      • Nectar and pollen: The available studies – field and semi-field –
had weaknesses and thus were insufficient to establish the level of risk to
honey bees from the use of fipronil as a treatment for sunflower and maize
seed. However, there was deemed to be a low risk to honey bees from the
authorised use of fipronil on vegetables, as these cannot be foraged for
pollen and nectar.

      • Several gaps were identified in the available data related to other
potential routes of exposure.

The conclusions were reached using the EFSA Scientific Opinion on the
science behind the development of guidance for the risk assessment of plant
protection products on bees, which was published last year. EFSA’s experts
used data submitted for the approval of fipronil at EU level and for the
authorisation of plant protection products containing fipronil at Member
State level. They also considered the previous EFSA Conclusion on fipronil
(2006) and the Authority’s statement on the Italian APENET project, as well
as data from studies, research and monitoring activities that were
considered relevant.

 

In January 2013, EFSA published risk assessments examining the effects on
bees of the neonicotinoids clothianidin, imidacloprid and thiamethoxam.

 

      • Conclusion on the peer review of the pesticide risk assessment for
bees for the active substance fipronil Notes aux éditeurs:

      • Fipronil is a broad-use insecticide that belongs to the
phenylpyrazole chemical family. It is used to control various soil insects
during their larval growth stage and acts through contact and ingestion.

      • Drilling is a sowing technique by which seeds are mechanically
placed in the soil and then covered. Before the introduction of drill
machines, seeds were commonly planted by hand.

      • Semi-field studies are also known as cage or tunnel studies.

 


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