EU States Vote to Ban Neonicotinoids

The pesticides, which studies show are harmful to bees, will be prohibited in open fields by the end of 2018.

Written byDiana Kwon

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A majority of European Union (EU) member states voted today (April 27) to ban the use of three neonicotinoid pesticides, imidacloprid, clothianidin, and thiamethoxam, due to their harm to bees.

“There is abundant evidence from lab and field studies that neonicotinoids are harmful to bees, and a growing body of evidence linking them to declines of butterflies, aquatic insects and insect-eating birds,” Dave Goulson, a biology professor at the University of Sussex, tells The Associated Press. “The EU decision is a logical one.”

This new ban extends restrictions the E.U. put in place in 2013, which limited the use of neonicotinoids on certain crops, such as maize, wheat, and oats. Under the new regulations, farmers will no longer be allowed to use the pesticides in ...

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Meet the Author

Diana Kwon
Diana is a freelance science journalist who covers the life sciences, health, and academic life. She’s a regular contributor to The Scientist and her work has appeared in several other publications, including Scientific American, Knowable, and Quanta. Diana was a former intern at The Scientist and she holds a master’s degree in neuroscience from McGill University. She’s currently based in Berlin, Germany.
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