> Correction, 12 pesticide formulations were not renewed by the pesticide companies.  That's not an EPA ban.  It may sound like semantics, but it is common for products to be removed from the market by the manufacturers.  Read the Federal Register notice.

Yes and no. The companies requested the removal based on the results of litigation. From the Washington Post piece:

> Under a December settlement agreement linked to an Endangered Species Act challenge by environmental groups, the companies voluntarily agreed to petition EPA to cancel 12 out of 59 products containing the active ingredients clothianidin and thiamethoxam.
> “Today’s cancellation of these neonicotinoid pesticides is a hard-won battle and landmark step in the right direction,” said George Kimbrell, legal director at the Center for Food Safety, which litigated the case and was a party to the settlement agreement. 
> Among the 12 pesticides canceled in the U.S., seven were for seed coating products used by farmers.
> According to Syngenta, any move to further restrict access to neonicotinoids risks harming farmers by removing one of their most widely used insecticides. 
> “After five years of litigation, this settlement represents a positive outcome in the interest of all parties... The settlement allows growers continued access to trusted neonicotinoid products containing thiamethoxam, essential for controlling destructive pests, managing resistance, and supporting integrated pest management.”

Spin from both viewpoints included.

S
Skillman, NJ

             ***********************************************
The BEE-L mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software.  For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html