California lawmakers are proposing to ban "neonicotinoids" -- a class of chemicals known to harm bees and other pollinators. The California Legislative Session concluded on August 31 with Assembly Bill 2146 prohibiting yard gardeners, schools and golf courses from using chemicals widely used in "non-agricultural" uses to kill plant pests. The draft new regulations are expected to be finalized next year.
The California Department of Pesticides, which regulates pesticides in the agricultural industry, currently regulates how chemicals are used on certain crops in certain seasons, in certain quantities, and whether they are used to pollinate insects. The state is currently trying to bridge the gap between regulated and unregulated use.
Pesticide regulators have studied the ingredients and determined their properties to be harmful to bees and other pollinators, including: imidacloprid, thiamethoxam, clothianidin and dinotefuran.
Sonoma County beekeeper Candice Koseba saw the dangers of chemicals to her bees, which led her to stop using chemicals in her production. "It was obvious, I saw a lot of bees jumping around on the ground," she said, describing the abnormal behavior. "They have lost control of their nervous systems."
Natural Resources Defense Council attorney Lucas Rhoads believes non-agricultural use is responsible for more pollution. California Congresswoman Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, D-San Ramon, argued that for non-agricultural uses, yard gardeners have limited influence compared to the larger farm operators that may be used in some cases. Therefore, it is time to ban pesticides outside the agricultural industry. Solano County Agriculture Commissioner Ed King said the bill would tighten the use of neonicotinoid pesticides, and pesticide regulators now have full oversight of farms.
Although farms are excluded from the bill banning pesticide use, Julie Henderson, director of the California Department of Pesticide, believes her agency may be better able to assess the impact of chemical use on entire ecosystems and the environment. "Our ongoing assessment of pesticides plays a critical role in accelerating the transition to safer and more sustainable pest management to protect the health of our communities, pollinators and the environment as a whole," Henderson said in a statement.
