EU regulator suspects BASF insecticide of harming bees

The European Union’s food safety regulator has added a BASF insecticide to the list of crop chemicals it suspects of playing a role in declining bee populations.

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) said in a statement on Monday that BASF’s fipronil poses an “acute risk to honeybees when used as a seed treatment for maize”, citing dust drift in particular.

BASF has until June 14 to file a comment on the report with the European Commission, which will discuss a possible ban with EU government officials in July.

via Business feed http://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/1248039/eu-regulator-suspects-basf-insecticide-harming-bees