Submissions close 30 December 2018.

The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has called for information on three neonicotinoid pesticides: clothianidin, imidacloprid and thiamethoxam, and their use in New Zealand. Neonicotinoid pesticides can impact bees and other pollinators if not used correctly. They have been available for use in New Zealand for more than 20 years.

There are a variety of substances containing clothianidin, imidacloprid or thiamethoxam which may be used in the agricultural and horticultural sector as seed coating treatments, soil drenches or foliar sprays. Imidacloprid-containing substances may also be used in various veterinary treatments such as tick control and flea treatments, or in home garden insecticides.

The EPA wants to know about volumes of the substances made or imported in New Zealand, toxicology and ecotoxicology and how the substances are used in NZ and any monitoring data, and information about alternatives, and costs, effectiveness and safety of each of these. Click here for more information.

You can submit directly to EPA. Environment and Conservation Organisations of Aotearoa New Zealand (ECO), the umbrella group for environmental and conservation organizations, also make submissions on behalf of their member organizations, and would be grateful for any information and advice that you can send them. Please send these to eco@eco.org.nz