Ortho,
the insect control product maker, said Tuesday it would begin “to
transition away” from using chemicals that are harmful to honeybees and
other pollinators, responding to growing pressure from environmental
advocates.
Ortho
also plans to work with the Pollinator Stewardship Council, an advocacy
group that supports beekeepers, to start a customer education program
and lobby for the use of label language that clarifies the purchase of
non-neonic pesticides.
"This decision comes after careful
consideration regarding the range of possible threats to honeybees and
other pollinators,” said Tim Martin, general manager of the Ortho brand.
“While agencies in the United States are still evaluating the overall
impact of neonics on pollinator populations, it’s time for Ortho to move
on.”
"We encourage other companies and brands in the consumer pest control category to follow our lead,” he said.
Ortho
has previously worked with the Pollinator Stewardship Council to
support pollinator habitat, and its new multiyear program will use
online channels and social media to "develop homeowner education related
to the responsible use of pesticides where pollinators can be found,"
Ortho said.
“Bees and butterflies are essential to our ecosystem
and are increasingly facing a struggle to survive," Michele Colopy,
program director of the Pollinator Stewardship Council, said in a
statement. "We join Ortho in asking other consumer pest-control brands
to also transition away from the use of neonics.”
No comments:
Post a Comment