Skip to main content
NCBI home page
EFSA Journal logoLink to EFSA Journal
. 2013 Jan 16;11(1):3066. doi: 10.2903/j.efsa.2013.3066

Conclusion on the peer review of the pesticide risk assessment for bees for the active substance clothianidin

European Food Safety Authority
PMCID: PMC13159821  PMID: 42124965

Abstract

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) was asked by the European Commission to perform a risk assessment of neonicotinoids, including clothianidin, as regards the risk to bees. In this context the conclusions of EFSA concerning the risk assessment for bees for the active substance clothianidin are reported. The context of the evaluation was that required by the European Commission in accordance with Article 21 of Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 to review the approval of active substances in light of new scientific and technical knowledge and monitoring data. The conclusions were reached on the basis of the evaluation of the uses of clothianidin applied as a seed treatment or granules on a variety of crops currently authorised in Europe. The reliable endpoints concluded as being appropriate for use in regulatory risk assessment, derived from the submitted studies and literature data as well as the available EU evaluations and monitoring data, are presented. Missing information identified as being required to allow for a complete risk assessment is listed. Concerns are identified.

Keywords: Clothianidin, peer review, risk assessment, pesticide, insecticide

Suggested citation: European Food Safety Authority ; Conclusion on the peer review of the pesticide risk assessment for bees for the active substance clothianidin. EFSA Journal 2013;11(1):3066. [58 pp.] doi: 10.2903/j.efsa.2013.3066.

Correspondence: pesticides.peerreview@efsa.europa.eu

Published date: 16 January 2013

Correction date: 14 March 2013

Correction/Erratum: On page 31 of the Conclusion the unit is changed from “mg a.s./100 kg granules” to “g a.s./100 kg granules” following an error reported by the applicant (Sumitomo Chemical Agro Europe) occurred in the unit for the conversion of the absolute residues of clothianidin into the amount per granules given in the study report Lindner, 2009 (study 34). The risk assessment remained unchanged.

Question number: EFSA‐Q‐2012‐00793

On request from: European Commission

References

  1. Austria, 2012: Investigations in the incidence of bee losses in corn and oilseed rape growing areas of Austria and possible correlations with bee diseases and the use of insecticidal plant protection products (MELISSA). Österreichische Agentur für Gesundheit und Ernährungssicherheit GmbH, Institut für Pflanzenschutzmittel. Monitoring data made available to EFSA in October 2012.
  2. Belgium, 2003. Draft assessment report on the active substance clothianidin prepared by the rapporteur Member State Belgium in the framework of Directive 91/414/EEC, May 2003.
  3. Biocca M, Conte E, Pulcini P, Marinelli E, Pochi D; (2011). Sowing simulation test of a pneumatic drill equipped with systems aimed at reducing the emission of abrasion dust from maize dressed seed. J Environ Sci Health B 46(6): 438–448. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Ctgb (College voor de toelating van gewasbeschermingsmiddelen en biociden ‐ Board for the authorisation of plant protection products and biocides) , 2011; Definitielijst toepassingsgebieden gewasbeschermingsmiddelen ‐ DTG lijst, versie 2.0, Ctgb juni 2011.
  5. EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) , 2012a; Panel on Plant Protection Products and their Residues (PPR): Scientific Opinion on the science behind the development of a risk assessment of Plant Protection Products on bees (Apis mellifera, Bombus spp. and solitary bees). EFSA Journal 2012; 10(5) 2668. [275 pp.] doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2012.2668. Available online: www.efsa.europa.eu/efsajournal.42112209 [Google Scholar]
  6. EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) , 2012b; Statement on the findings in recent studies investigating sub‐lethal effects in bees of some neonicotinoids in consideration of the uses currently authorised in Europe. EFSA Journal 2012;10(6):2752. [27 pp.] doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2012.2752. Available online: www.efsa.europa.eu/efsajournal. [Google Scholar]
  7. EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) , 2012c; Statement on the assessment of the scientific information from the Italian project “APENET” investigating effects on honeybees of coated maize seeds with some neonicotinoids and fipronil. EFSA Journal 2012;10(6):2792. [26 pp.] doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2012.2792. Available online: www.efsa.europa.eu/efsajournal. [Google Scholar]
  8. EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) , 2012d. Peer Review Report to the conclusion regarding the peer review of the pesticide risk assessment for bees for the active substance clothianidin. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed]
  9. European Commission , 2005; Review report for the active substance clothianidin, finalised in the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health at its meeting on 27 January 2006 in view of the inclusion of clothianidin in Annex I of Directive 91/414/EEC. SANCO/10533/05 – Final, 18 January 2005.
  10. European Commission , 2006; Review report for the active substance thiamethoxam, finalised in the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health at its meeting on 14 July 2006 in view of the inclusion of thiamethoxam in Annex I of Directive 91/414/EEC. SANCO/10390/2002 – rev. final, 14 July 2006.
  11. Forster, Giffard H., Heimbach U., Laporte J.‐M., Luckmann J., Nikolakis A., Pistorius J., Vergnet; C. (2012): “Risks posed by dusts: overview of the area and Recommendations”. Hazards of pesticides to bees (ICPBR), Netherlands 2011, Julius‐Kühn‐Archiv, No. 437, p. 191–198, 2012. [Google Scholar]
  12. Frommberger, M. , Pistorius J., Schier A., Joachimsmeier I., Schenke; D. (2012): “Guttation and the risk for honey bee colonies (Apis mellifera L.): a worst case semi‐field scenario in maize with special consideration of impact on bee brood and brood development”. Hazards of pesticides to bees (ICPBR), Netherlands 2011, Julius‐Kühn‐Archiv, No. 437, p. 71–76, 2012. [Google Scholar]
  13. Georgiadis, P.‐Th. ; Pistorius, J. ; Heimbach, U. ; Stähler, M. ; Schwabe, K ; (2012a): “Dust drift during sowing of maize ‐ effects on honey bees.” 11th Internationalen Syposium: Hazards of pesticides to bees (ICPBR), Netherlands 2011, Julius‐Kühn‐Archiv, No. 437, p. 134f, 2012. [Google Scholar]
  14. Georgiadis, P.‐Th. ; Pistorius, J. ; Heimbach, U. ; Stähler, M. ; Schwabe, K ; (2012b): “Dust drift during sowing of winter oil seed rape ‐ effects on honey bees.” 11th Internationalen Syposium: Hazards of pesticides to bees (ICPBR), Netherlands 2011, Julius‐Kühn‐Archiv, No. 437, p. 134f, 2012. [Google Scholar]
  15. Girolami V, Mazzon L, Squartini A, Mori N, Marzaro M, Di Bernardo A, Greatti M, Giorio C and Tapparo A; (2009). Translocation of neonicotinoid insecticides from coated seeds to seedling guttation drops: a novel way of intoxication for bees. Journal of Economical Entomology, 102, 1808–1815. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Heimbach, U. , Stähler M., Schwabe K., Schenke D., Pistorius J., Georgiadis P.‐Th.; (2012): “Dust drift during sowing into adjacent areas – potential emission and effects on honey bees, results of JKI experiments in Germany”. JKI, Institute for Plant Protection in Field Crops and Grassland, Messeweg 11–12, D‐38104 Braunschweig. Document made available to EFSA in October 2012.
  17. Italy, 2012a: Informazioni riguardo a piani di monitoraggio relativi alla sorveglianza delle colonie di api. Ministero della Salute Dipartimento della Sanità Pubblica Veterinaria, della Sicurezza Alimentare e degli Organi Collegiali per la Tutela della Salute, Direzione Generale per l'igiene e la Sicurezza degli Alimenti e la Nutrizione. Information made available to EFSA in November 2012.
  18. Italy, 2012b: Monitoraggio delle colonie di api a seguito dell'impiego dei prodotti fitosanitari “Santana” e “Sombrero”. Regione Lombardia, Direzione Generale Sanità e Veterinaria (Protocollo H1.2012.0031168 del 29/10/2012). Information made available to EFSA in November 2012.
  19. Joachimsmeier, Pistorius J., Schenke D., Heimbach U., Kirchner W., Zwerge; P. (2012): “Frequency and intensity of guttation events in different crops in Germany”. Hazards of pesticides to bees (ICPBR), Netherlands 2011, Julius‐Kühn‐Archiv, No. 437, p. 87f, 2012. [Google Scholar]
  20. Marzaro M, Vivan L, Targa A, Mazzon L, Mori N, Greatti M, Petrucco Toffolo E, Di Bernardo A, Giorio C, Marton D, Tapparo A, Girolami V. (2011). Lethal aerial powdering of honey bees with neonicotinoids from fragments of maize seed coat. Bulletin of Insectology, 64, 118–125. [Google Scholar]
  21. Nicolson, S. W. and Human, H. (2008). Review Water homeostasis in bees, with the emphasis on sociality. The Journal of Experimental Biology 212, 429–434. doi:10.1242/jeb.022343. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Pistorius, J. , Brobyn T., Campbell P., Forster R., Lorsch J.‐A., Marolleau F., Maus C., Luckmann J., Suzuki H., Wallner K., Becker; R. (2012): “Assessment of risks to honey bees posed by guttation”. Hazards of pesticides to bees (ICPBR), Netherlands 2011, Julius‐Kühn‐Archiv, No. 437, p. 199–209, 2012. [Google Scholar]
  23. Pochi D, Biocca M, Fanigliulo R, Conte E, Pulcini P; (2011). Evaluation of insecticides losses from dressed seed from conventional and modified pneumatic drills for maize. J Agric Mach Sci 7(1): 61–65. [Google Scholar]
  24. Pochi D, Biocca M, Fanigliulo R, Pulcini P, Conta E; (2012). Potential exposure of bees, Apis mellifera L., to particulate matter and pesticides derived from seed dressing during maize sowing. B Environ Contam Toxicol 89(2): 354–361. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Reetz J, Zühlke S, Spiteller M and Wallner K; (2011). Neonicotinoid insecticides translocated in guttated droplets of seed‐treated maize and wheat: a threat to honeybees? Apidologie, 42, 596–606. [Google Scholar]
  26. Schneider C. W., Tautz J., Grünewald B., Fuchs S. (2012). RFID tracking of sublethal effects of two neonicotinoid insecticides on the foraging behavior of Apis mellifera. PLoS ONE 7, e30023. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. Seeley, T. D. , 1986. Social foraging by honeybees: how colonies allocate foragers among patches of flowers. Behav. Ecol. Sociobiol. 19, 343–354. [Google Scholar]
  28. Seeley T.D., 1995. The wisdom of the hive, the social physiology of honey bee colonies. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA, 295 pp. [Google Scholar]
  29. Slovenia, 2012. Bee poisoning incidents in the Pomurje region of Eastern Slovenia in 2011. Based on the public report by the Inspectorate of the Republic Slovenia for Agriculture Forestry and Food. Monitoring data made available to EFSA in October 2012.
  30. Tapparo A., Giorio C., Marzaro M., Marton D., Soldà L. and Vincenzo Girolami. (2011). Rapid analysis of neonicotinoid insecticides in guttation drops of corn seedlings obtained from coated seeds Journal of Dynamic Environmental Monitoring. DOI: 10.1039/c1em10085h. [DOI] [PubMed]
  31. Visscher PK, Crailsheim K, Sherman G (1996). How do honey bees (Apis mellifera) fuel their water foraging flights. Journal of Insect Physiology, 42, 1089–1094. [Google Scholar]
  32. Wallner K. et al.; 2011. Orientating experiments on guttation fluid of seed treated maize (Zea mays L.) in relation to the water collecting behaviour of honey bees (Apis mellifera L.). Abstract in proceedings of the 11th International Symposium of the ICP‐BR bee Protection group: Hazard of pesticides to bees.

Articles from EFSA Journal are provided here courtesy of Wiley

RESOURCES