PESTICIDES WITHDRAWAL

Here's an extract from the Amateur Gardening Magazine regarding pesticides:

It strikes me that Retailers wouldn't be removing these products unless they had seen some convincing evidence about the negative effects they were having.

 

Well, that sounds an ideal answer, Sirious, but how do you go about that in a realistic way that will have a positive result in the raising the awareness of the millions using such chemicals to a point where they actually use them in a "safe" way??, if there is such a thing. Do we send them all a letter?, send them all on a chemical safety course?, knock on their doors and give them a brief lesson, send them an e-mail?? There appears to be some evidence that certain chemicals in use do have a negative effect on, not just Bees, but all wildlife and that Government, Industrial, and Wild Life organisations want to do something positive about it. Pesticides are a poison no matter what presumed benefit a gardener using it thinks. Retailers and Manufacturers don't withdraw products from shelves unless there is a problem.

 

IMHO there are no appropriate use of insecticides.I,m with the Bees on this one

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I don't disagree with you, Sirius, regarding the motives for using the pesticides. It's the same reasons they were invented and the same reasons while a lot of people use them.
Regarding advice being included on the label....well, it is!!! But some gardeners don't read the labels and will just point and shoot, while others will read the advice and ignore it on the basis that their needs are greater than the insects and Wildlife, and others because they don't believe that there is any danger presented by the chemicals, or that their own individual use of pesticides can't possibly affect the ecology chain, can it? It's a kind of parallel argument to the discussion about the right to bear arms in America, only on a chemical basis

 

There are so many things that, in my opinion, should be banned, Sirius!!. We Humans are just that, Human, and are therefore vulnerable to the addiction of things, or just using things without good judgement But at least we can acknowledge there is a danger in using certain "tools" and take the appropriate action to lessen the dangers.

 

I think that was true a couple of years ago, Scorpio, but there has been a lot of research done by the Soil Association, the Wild Life organisations, the French Agriculture University and slowly, but surely, public awareness and opinion has become stronger. I also think that, on all fronts, the Retailer has come under pressure to ensure that the products they sell are safer and do what they say without harming Wildlife. Even events such as the Horse meat being included in processed foods is showing the general public that, despite all the brightly coloured and attractive packaging, and the reassuring words on the packet or label cannot be trusted is putting pressure on all retailers to become more sensitive to the customer's reaction when buying products.
However, the Manufacturers are a different matter as they are defending their products saying that all chemicals are legal and within EU legislation, which is true....but that's not the same as saying that there is a possibility that the chemicals will do harm ecologically. They, of course, have over the years attacked Organisations who have warned about the dangers of using pesticides claiming they are misinformed and scaremongering, while more and more scientific evidence is coming to the fore to say otherwise.
I do think we are at the beginning of a change in attitude by Retailers and the withdrawal of certain pesticides by B&Q, Wickes, Home Base will lead to a rippling effect that will see more retailers withdrawing more pesticides from the shelves.

 

I'm in a cynical mood - it strikes me that this is purely based on how to create a sympathetic customer base - ie 'Look everybody, we care sooooo much and you should now shop with us more than with Homebase...'
The link between bee decline and the chemical has been publicised for quite a while so if they had concerns they should have reacted quickly, not to just before the chemical buying season starts.
That aside, I believe it is a good move and other stores should follow suit.