Bayer Insecticide Under Scrutiny In US
5 January 2010 NEW YORK — A federal judge banned the sale of spirotetramat beginning Jan. 15 because the US Environmental Agency failed to follow routine procedures in its review of the insecticide, according to court papers.
• Search Crop Protection Directory: Spirotetramat
Specifically, the EPA did not allow a public comment period, failed to publish Bayer’s application, and it neglected to publish the agency’s approval in the Federal Register.
Both Bayer CropScience, a North Carolina subsidiary of Bayer AG, and the Environmental Protection Agency have 60 days to appeal the decision of Manhattan U.S. District Judge Denise Cote.
The EPA approved spirotetramat in 2008 for use on hundreds of crops, including apples, pears, peaches, oranges, tomatoes, grapes, strawberries, almonds and spinach.
The suit was filed by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and the Xerces Society, which claims the use of the pesticide inhibits the ability for honeybees to breed and increases the risk for Colony Collapse Disorder.
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