China
is going to ban the use of five more insecticides, following international
agreements and the own efforts in making agriculture more sustainable and safe
for people and environment. The ban will be effective throughout the year 2019
and shows the orientation to low-toxic and low-residue pesticides in China’s
market.
Source: Pixabay
China’s
Ministry of Agriculture has announced to ban or restrict five more insecticides for the use on specific crops. The release is following the New Regulations on
Pesticide Administration, which supports better pesticides safety and health
care for China’s pesticides market.
The
five mentioned insecticides with restricted or prohibited use in the future are
endosulfan, methyl bromide, acephate, carbosulfan, and dimethoate.
China
is the world’s leading pesticide producer and also one of the largest consumers
of pesticides. Many farmers are lacking the education and training for using
pesticides efficiently, which causes severe overuse of pesticides as well as
the wrong application of those. Hence, China’s farmlands and crops are enduring
severe damage, which the government tries to stop by getting strict on
pesticides regulations and application.
A
good example is the newly announces changes in regulations of China’s
pesticides administration. The new regulation will come into effect on June 1,
2017, and are going to restrict the use of any pesticides only on the mentioned
crops in the regulations. Also, the registration process will be simplified, as
local authorities are getting more power but also more duties to get China’s
pesticides market healthier and more sustainable.
According
to market intelligence firm CCM, the new announcements for banning several
insecticides is not the first step in the direction of stricter control of
insecticides in China. Before May 12, 2017, the Ministry of Agriculture has
already restricted the use of 25 pesticides, of whose many insecticides are
taking part.
Endosulfan
This
acaricide insecticide was already banned by the Stockholm Convention in the
middle of 2012 for worldwide use, which allowed up to five more years of usage
under certain restrictions. While many nations as the European Union, the USA,
Australia, and New Zealand already banned it several years ago, it is still
actively used in countries like China and India.
Endosulfan is known for acute toxicity, which is dangerous for human wealth and the
environment. According to CCM, the agricultural use of this insecticide will be
prohibited from the end of March 2019 onwards.
Methyl Bromide
Methyl
bromide, also known as bromomethane, was already being phased out by a large
number of countries in the beginning of the 2,000s. It is furthermore phased
out because of the highly destructive effect on the ozone layer.
The
agricultural use of this insecticide will end at the end of 2018.
Acephate
Acephate is commonly used against aphids to protect vegetables and horticulture. The
insecticide is still widely used but has several restrictions for the scope of
usage in most of the countries.
Carbosulfan
Because carbosulfan was
detected for causing severe health risks for human, the European Union already
banned the insecticide in 2007 of any use.
In
recent news, this insecticide is responsible, among others, to have caused the
death of twelve red kites and four buzzards in Scotland, even the pesticide is
forbidden in the country,
Dimethoate
This
pesticide is commonly used as insecticide and acaricide. The huge danger of it
occurs from the disabling of cholinesterase, which is an important enzyme for
the central nervous system.
What’s
more, the Australian authorities have cancelled a ban on dimethoate, which was
reviewed for 13 years. It was suspended in 2011, which was cancelled in early
May 2017 again. However, the insecticide still remains restricted and banned
for certain kinds of crops.
The
use of acephate, carbosulfan, as well as dimethoate in China, will be
heavily restricted from the middle of 2019 onwards.
Ban on all
neonicotinoid insecticides in Europe
Neonicotinoid
insecticides are the most used insecticides worldwide. However, the connection
of these pesticides to the death rate of bees has caused fierce discussion
whether to allow the usage or limit it. The European Food Safety Authority, for
example, has proposed to change the labelling of these insecticides to high
acute risks for bees. The proposal now is handed to the EU member states which
have to decide whether neonicotinoid is going to be banned for Europe’s field
crops.
A
temporary ban in the EU is already active since 2013, which prohibits the use
on flowering crops. However, since Europe would be the first region with a ban
on these insecticides, opponents of the proposal are warning of a loss of
competition for European farmers and a danger for sustainable food planting.
Taiwan’s additional
insecticides ban
The
Council of Agriculture of Taiwan has banned the use of three insecticides,
which will come into effect in the near future, according to Taipei
Times. The three insecticides, which are going to be banned, are imidacloprid,
thiamethoxam, and clothianidin. They are banned for the use on litchi and
longan fruits for a duration of 2 years.
The
reason for the decision is a high death rate of bee populations claimed by
beekeepers which are close to areas of high insecticides usage. After some
research, the connection of the insecticides to the bee death rate could not be
supported, but the Council announced the ban anyway, expectedly to satisfy the
complaining beekeepers.
Dangers of pesticides
The
ban of a growing number of pesticides is caused by the fact, that some of
diseases for humans are strongly connected to manufacturers pesticides
available in the agrochemicals market. Some of the diseases, among others, that
have been linked to negative effects of pesticides, are autism, cancer,
diabetes, asthma, and Alzheimer.
What's
more, pesticides do not only affect the surface they are applied on and the
ground water underneath, but also can be transported by air to other areas,
where they cause severe damage to health and safety. Hence, the pesticides
industry is setting the focus more than ever to develop and produce
biopesticides as well as low hazardous and low lasting pesticides for safer
usage.
About CCM
CCM
is the leading market intelligence provider for China’s agriculture, chemicals,
food & ingredients and life science markets.
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