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In preparation for a
FIFRA Scientific Advisory Panel (SAP) meeting scheduled for September 11 - 14, 2012, the EPA has
released a white paper presenting its proposed process for assessing the
potential risks of pesticides to honeybees. The white paper reflects
collective efforts of the EPA with the Canadian Pest Management
Regulatory Agency and the California Department of Pesticide Regulation.
The white paper includes a description of the problem formulation step,
where protection goals and assessment endpoints are defined, as well as
conceptual models depicting potential routes of exposure that might
affect individual bees (larvae and adult) as well as whole colonies. The
white paper also discusses the data and methods used for quantifying
exposures and effects and characterizing potential risks to honeybees.
Consistent with the EPA's current pesticide risk assessment processes,
the framework proposes a multi-tiered approach that initially relies on
laboratory-based studies on individual bees, and then transitions to
more realistic field-based studies involving whole colonies. The
proposed process should enhance the ability of EPA, PMRA and CalDPR to
reliably assess chemicals for direct and indirect effects to honeybees.
The EPA will also request advice from the SAP on the usefulness of this
framework for characterizing potential effects of pesticides on other
species of bees. |
White Paper in
Support of the Proposed Risk Assessment Process for Bees Submitted to the
FIFRA Scientific Advisory Panel for Review and Comment
Tier I Method for
Estimating Exposure of Honey Bees to Pesticides
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Additional SAP Materials:
Related
Resources:
March 5, 2013, Pollinator Summit
Pesticide Issues in the Works - Colony Collapse Disorder
Find out more about CCD from the USDA Agricultural Research Service
U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service's Pollinators website |