A regional wildlife charity says it is horrified that the green light has been given to use a previously banned chemical on sugar beet crops, an action that it believes contradicts Government promises to protect and improve nature.
The Government permitted an emergency authorisation on the use of thiamethoxam in January, a highly toxic pesticide which was banned in 2018 due to unacceptable risks to the environment, especially to bees and other pollinators.
Northumberland Wildlife Trust says it is appalled, and that the decision to authorise the use of thiamethoxam goes against recommendations from the Government's advisors, the Health and Safety Executive and the Expert Committee on Pesticides, both of whom state they cannot support the authorisation.
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An application by the NFU and British Sugar for emergency authorisation of thiamethoxam was authorised by the Secretary of State for the Environment, George Eustice, in January. Defra says that the emergency authorisation was granted subject to strict conditions including an initial threshold for use in an attempt to stop the UK's sugar production for 2022 from being damaged.
The UK's action was dependent on understanding whether the 'beet yellows virus,' which can be spread by aphids predating sugar beet crops, would exceed a certain threshold on March 1. Modelling in the latest forecast showed a 68% level of virus incidence, which means the threshold has been met and that farmers will be able to apply this chemical to their sugar beat crops under strict conditions.
The emergency authorisation has also been granted in 12 EU countries with significant sugar production, including Spain, France, Belgium and Denmark.
Mike Pratt, Northumberland Wildlife Trust Chief Executive says: "The approval to use this bee-killing pesticide is scandalous. The Government has outlined ambitions to restore nature, promising to protect 30% of land by 2030 and reverse declines of precious wildlife - but at the same time, it is giving a green light to use a highly toxic chemical that could harm pollinating insects and pollute soils and rivers.
"A single teaspoon of this chemical can kill 1.25 billion bees, while studies also show a range of sub-lethal effects that affect insects’ ability to forage and reproduce.
"We need to restore the natural world and gradually wean ourselves off using chemicals in agriculture - it’s time the Government listened to their own experts who have said they cannot support the use of this pesticide, it’s simply too dangerous."
Northumberland Wildlife Trust is part of a network of 46 wildlife trusts across the UK, all of which are concerned that the use of bee-killing pesticides could become the new norm with bans lifted every year.
A Defra spokesperson said: "The decision to approve an emergency authorisation was not taken lightly and based on robust scientific assessment. We evaluate the risks very carefully and only grant temporary emergency authorisations for restricted pesticides in special circumstances when strict requirements are met and there are no alternatives.
"The threshold for use has now been met according to the independent scientific modelling conducted on the virus spread. Under the terms of this authorisation seed treatment can go ahead with strict controls in place to mitigate risks."
