On May 20, 2019, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published notice in the Federal Register canceling the registrations of 12 neonicotinoid-containing pesticides (neonics). This cancelation was the result of a lawsuit settlement reached by the agency with several environmental groups. The lawsuit settlement also requires that EPA conduct a review of all neonics, so there could be more registration cancellations coming.
The Dozen Cancelled Neonics
The product registrations cancelled by the notice are:
| Registration No. | Company No. | Product name | Active ingredients |
| 100-1341 | 100 | Meridian 0.20G | Thiamethoxam. |
| 100-1346 | 100 | Meridian 0.14G | Thiamethoxam. |
| 100-1399 | 100 | Avicta Complete Corn 500 | Azoxystrobin; Metalaxyl-M; Fludioxonil; Thiabendazole; Abamectin & Thiamethoxam. |
| 100-1426 | 100 | THX_MXM_FDL_TBZ FS | Thiamethoxam; Metalaxyl-M; Fludioxonil & Thiabendazole. |
| 100-1449 | 100 | Adage Deluxe | Thiamethoxam; Metalaxyl-M; Fludioxonil & Azoxystrobin. |
| 100-1450 | 100 | Adage Premier | Thiamethoxam; Metalaxyl-M; Fludioxonil; Azoxystrobin & Thiabendazole. |
| 264-1125 | 264 | Emesto Quantum | Clothianidin & Penflufen. |
| 59639-164 | 59639 | V-10170 0.25 G GL Insecticide | Clothianidin. |
| 59639-176 | 59639 | Inovate Seed Protectant | Clothianidin; Metalaxyl & Ipconazole. |
| 59639-187 | 59639 | Inovate Neutral Seed Protectant | Clothianidin; Metalaxyl & Ipconazole. |
| 59639-214 | 59639 | Aloft GC G Insecticide | Bifenthrin & Clothianidin. |
| 72155-95 | 72155 | Flower, Rose & Shrub Care III | Clothianidin & Imidacloprid. |
Seven of the canceled neonics are used primarily as seed coatings. The others are general-use insecticides.
May use existing stocks
The manufacturers of these products — Bayer, Syngenta and Valent — are permitted to continue selling their existing stocks for one year until May 20, 2020. Persons other than the manufacturers can continue to sell and use the products until their existing stocks are exhausted.
Bee colony collapse
The lawsuit that generated this settlement and the registration cancellations was filed in 2013 by the not-for-profit Center for Food Safety. The Center filed the suit on behalf of themselves, beekeepers and other conservation groups concerned with bee colony collapse. (See this September 2014 Landscape Management blog for background on neonics and bees.)
To read the full Federal Register notice on the regulation cancellations, click here.
