2 weeks Ago By Jodie Bruton
Potential pesticide misuse at Corowa is being investigated by the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) after samples taken from hives and dead bees tested positive. or signup to continue reading on March 10 and 11 and reported it to the EPA. The EPA collected samples that tested positive for fipronil, a chemical commonly used in agriculture and pest control.
EPA executive director of Operations Jason Gordon said the EPA was trying to determine the source of the chemical and was appealing for help from the community. "It is heartbreaking that we have multiple hives in the area impacted by pesticides, and we are exploring all avenues for potential causes of these deaths," he said. "Bees have a large flight diameter from their hives, which makes them difficult to track, and we have been working with beekeepers to try to determine potential flight paths.
" The chemical detected is used in spraying crops but is also commonly used in household insecticides to contain pests such as fleas and ticks. "Bees play a crucial role in local pollination, which helps keep ecosystems healthy and food production going and we want to do everything we can to protect them," Mr Gordon said. Mr Gordon said this pesticide misuse, whether it be intentional or accidental could be a serious offence, and people faced fines and other consequences.
"Accidental pesticide misuse can occur, such as keeping and using out-of-date chemicals, so it's important to always read labels carefully and follow directions to ensure chemicals like fipronil are used safely and correctly," he said. "Safely storing pesticides in a secure location, along with properly cleaning and disposing of containers, are also essential steps in responsible pesticide use." Earlier, Mr McGillivray said he didn't believe the bee deaths on March 10 were a deliberate act of malice but he was perplexed about the number of them.
He estimated that close to a million bees had perished in a week, and it wasn't the first time. "This is the fourth time this has happened here in five years so we have notified the EPA," he said. The EPA recommends the use of the BeeConnected app to help pesticide users to prevent impacts to foraging bees in their area.
See link: . Anyone with information about the alleged pesticide misuse should contact the Environment Line on 131 555 or via email at . Daily Today's top stories curated by our news team.
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