US Beekeepers File Lawsuit Against EPA Over Approval Of Dangerous Pesticide

Beekeepers in the United States have begun to organize against a recent decision by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), to allow a dangerous insecticide back on the market. The beekeepers have filed a lawsuit against the government agency for its inaction on the powerful insecticide, “sulfoxaflor.” The lawsuit cites information and statistics about the health risks to humans, animals, and insects.

The beekeepers are being represented by Earthjustice, a legal group that works on cases involving the environment. Greg Loarie, one of the attorneys with Earthjustice, says that a restriction on sulfoxaflor was removed by the Trump administration, despite scientific evidence proving how dangerous it is.

“Honeybees and other pollinators are dying in droves because of insecticides like sulfoxaflor, yet the Trump administration removes restriction just to please the chemical industry. This is illegal and an affront to our food system, economy, and environment,” Loarie said.

However, the companies behind many of the controversial pesticides on the market have also sponsored their own studies, which showed that the substances were safe. Many beekeepers question the validity of these studies, and have urged the government to look for independent studies on these matters, instead of relying entirely on corporate-funded research to make their decisions.