[All] Fw: Syngenta Wants How Much More Neonics in our Environment!?

Sat Oct 4 00:19:20 EDT 2014

Time to tell the US government to ban neonicotinoid pesticides. 

Lulu :0)

----- Forwarded Message -----
From: Beyond Pesticides <info at beyondpesticides.org>
To: butterflybluelu at rogers.com 
Sent: Friday, October 3, 2014 2:17 PM
Subject: Syngenta Wants How Much More Neonics in our Environment!?

October 3, 2014
Take Action: Syngenta Asks EPA for a Massive Increase in Bee-Toxic Pesticides on Crops
Submit a Public Comment by Midnight, October 6th. 

Multinational pesticide manufacturer Syngenta has petitioned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to raise the allowable levels of a bee-killing pesticide on a number of crops.
In certain cases, such as hay from wheat, the company is asking for a 400x increase in the tolerance level set by the federal agency. That's 400 times more residue and exposure to bees and other pollinators! The  pesticide is thiamethoxam, a member of the neonicotinoid (neonic) class of insecticides that have been widely implicated in global pollinator declines.

Help us swarm the EPA comment docket, and let the agency know that, in light of continuing pollinator and wildlife declines, an increase in environmental contamination with neonics is unacceptable. 

-Beyond Pesticides
________________________________

Sample Comment:

To the EPA:
The agency must reject the proposed tolerance increases for the use of the neonicotinoid insecticide thiamethoxam. The registrant, Syngenta, claims that the use of foliar applications will be more likely to stick to  the leaves of crops, and thus are less risky to pollinators; but the  fact remains that these chemicals are systemic and persistent, and any  amount applied will contaminate soil. It also has the potential to be expressed  in the crop’s pollen, nectar, and guttation (dew) droplets on which  pollinators forage and drink.

Rather than increase the use of this pesticide in our environment, I urge the agency to work with stakeholders to eliminate its use. 

During Pollinator Week 2014, the White House issued a Presidential Memorandumdirecting agencies to “reverse pollinator losses and help restore  populations to healthy levels.” Certainly, an increase in the tolerance  level for a neonicotinoid implicated by researchers across the globe in causing these pollinator losses  would be a step backwards for pollinator health, and not in line with  the President’s call. 

We can move agriculture in a sustainable direction that is safe for pollinators, and eliminate the use of thiamethoxam and other neonicotinoid insecticides, but it requires leadership from EPA to do so. Rejecting Syngenta's request would signal that the agency is taking pollinator losses seriously. 

Submit your comment now!
________________________________

Why the docket, and not a simple click-and-send form letter?
We direct people to the government         docketbecause we have been told by agencies that emails on       public comments do not always get considered.                                                                EPA cites three ways to send       comments: through the docket, by mail, or by hand delivery. Unfortunately, the docket system requires that public comments are actually placed there. So we ask people to cut and paste information from       our material (above) into the docket and then personalize their         comment, if possible. "Unique" comments have the greatest effect.

As concerned people learn the       regulations.gov system and become comfortable with it we hope to generate thousands of unique comments to government agencies like EPA.
Please forward this email to your friends and family!

Share on Facebook! 

Share on Twitter! Save Our Bees! Take Your Frustrations Directly to EPA!  

By Midnight, October 6th: 
Submit a comment to EPA opposing this increase. 

Use our sample language for ideas, but it means much more if you provide a personalized letter.

Resources  
Learn More About the BEE Protective Campaign!

See Beyond Pesticides' BEE Protective webpage for additional actions you can take to help pollinators at this critical time.
TakePart: Save Our Bees

TakePart's year-long campaign dedicated to the health, well-being and restoration of the bee population.
Beyond Pesticides' Facebook page
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