Pesticide ban proposed

OLYMPIA — A proposal in the Legislature calls for neonicotinoid pesticides — known for their harmful effects on the nervous systems of insects — to be banned for household use.

Sen. Marko Liias, D-Edmonds, sponsored the measure, Senate Bill 5972; he blames the use of the pesticides for killing bees, butterflies and other pollinators.

“About 1/3 of our agricultural sector needs pollination to thrive, and our pollinators, bees, butterflies and hummingbirds in this state are under more and more threat,” Liias said.

Opponents disagree.

Washington State University professor Allan Felsot said the bill is a waste of time and money.

Instead, he believes the state should focus on pollinator habitat restoration.

“Not a single study published today can link species population declines to insecticide use, unless one conflates a hazard identification study using artificial forced feeding experiments with what happens in real habitats,” he said.

Neonicotinoids are the most popular insecticide class in the nation. Imdacloprid, Thiamethoxam and Clothiandin are some of the most common.

They’re used in farms, lawns, gardens and for controlling fleas and ticks on pets.

If Senate Bill 5972 is approved, the use of neonicotinoid pesticides would be restricted statewide, except when an application license is obtained or during the “production of an agricultural commodity.”

Liias claimed “user error” is the primary issue the bill addresses. He claims city and other urban residents do not read or follow pesticide directions.

Again, Felsot disagreed.

“Misapplications are under regulation of the product labels, but why anyone would think infrequent misapplications have anything to do with pollinator population declines is crazy,” he said.