AB 363 – Evaluating Non-Agricultural Neonicotinoids
Summary
AB 363 helps protect bees and other pollinators,
clean water, people, and the future of our food
supply by requiring the Department of Pesticide
Regulation (DPR) to complete an evaluation of
the use of neonicotinoid (neonic) pesticides on
turf and ornamental plants in non -agricultural
settings.
Background
California beekeepers lost 41.9% of their
colonies last year, one of the worst years on
record. These losses threaten California’s
ecosystems and more than $15 billion in state
agricultural production that depends on bees and
other pollinators . An overwhelming body of
research links pollinator declines to the use of
pesticides, particularly neonicotinoids.
Neonicotinoids are the world’s most widely used
insecticides, and incredibly toxic to insects—just
one square foot of grass treated with a neonic
lawn product can contain enough neonics to kill
one million bees. Most of the chemicals stay in
the soil, where they can remain for years and are
easily carried by rain or lawn watering into water
supplies.
Most uses of neonics in non-agricultural settings
are unnecessary, yet they are incredibly
widespread. California Department of Pesticide
Regulation (DPR) mo nitoring detected
imidacloprid—the most common neonic in non -
agricultural settings —in 92% of water samples
taken in urban areas of southern California and
58% of urban samples in northern California.
Studies on humans and animals have connected
neonics to reproductive and developmental
impacts. We could avoid these health risks by
simply eliminating neonic use or switching to less
harmful alternative treatments , however,
companies continue to p ush these dangerous
products despite their widespread harms.
Problem
Neonicotinoid pesticides are routinely used
despite their devastating effects on pollinator
health and biodiversity and risks to human
wellbeing.
What this bill does
AB 363 requires the Department of Pesticide
Regulation (DPR) to complete an evaluation and
finalize regulations for the use of neonicotinoid
(neonic) pesticides on turf and ornamental plants
in non -agricultural settings. It requires the
department to include both human health and
pollinator health impacts in its evaluation to get a
complete picture of the risks these pose.
Support
Environment California (Co-Sponsor)
Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)
(Co-Sponsor)
Contact
Gracie Amezcua
Legislative Aide
(916) 319-2016
[email protected]