The Spruce Plantation Industry's Addiction to Toxic Pesticides

摘要

An August 2012 Environmental Protection Agency circular contains the following paragraph under the heading Cypermethrin:"Cypermethrin is used to control pine weevil particularly in newly planted trees. There is growing evidence that recent, unexpecteddecline in ecological status of some remote rivers, particularly in Donegal, is due to pesticides such as cypermethrin which is very toxic to aquatic invertebrates. This decline in ecological status is suspected to be primarily associated with sheep farming but some evidence of loss of invertebrate taxa inside fenced forestry plantations is also available and pesticide use is the primary suspected cause. Cypermethrin is on a short list for addition to the priority hazardous substances by the European Commission. Alternative approaches to control of pine weevil are required -fallowing or alternative non-toxic substances."