WINNIPEG, MANITOBA — The Canadian government said on Wednesday it would move to restrict use of two types of crop chemicals that have been linked to deaths of aquatic insects and bees, in a victory for environmentalists and the latest setback for companies that sell the pesticides.
Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) said it would phase out, over three to five years, the outdoor use of thiamethoxam, made by Syngenta AG, and clothianidin, produced by Bayer AG.
A review found the chemicals at levels in water bodies high enough to harm aquatic insects that are food for fish and birds.
The widely used chemicals protect corn, soybean, and canola crops from insect damage.
Health Canada’s move is subject to a 90-day consultation period, followed by final decisions in late 2019.
Neonicotinoids, also called neonics, are a class of pesticides applied as a seed treatment or sprayed on leaves. Neonics have drawn scrutiny after research pointed to risks for honey bees, which have been in decline in North America, possibly due to pesticides, loss of habitat, and climate change. — Reuters

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