Gateway on Pesticide Hazards and Safe Pest Management

Updates from the Daily News Blog

Monarch Butterfly Larvae Adversely Affected by Pesticide Drift from Contiguous Soybean and Maize Crop Fields
April 23, 2020

Pesticide-Intensive Agriculture Contributes to Severe Monarch Butterfly Decline through Milkweed Contamination
July 8, 2019

Neonicotinoid Insecticide Residues in Food and Water on the Rise, According to USDA Data
May 2, 2019

Take Action: Saving America’s Pollinators Act Reintroduced in Congress
March 4, 2019

Settlement Bans Some Bee-Toxic Pesticides, Requires Public Comment Period on Testing All Pesticide Product Ingredients and Regulating Pesticide-Treated Seeds
January 4, 2019

Health Canada Proposing to Phase Out Certain Uses of Neonicotinoids
June 7, 2018

EU’s Highest Court Upholds Ban of the Three Top Bee-Killing Neonicotinoid Pesticides
June 6, 2018

Based on New Data,Tell Your Governor to Ban Neonicotinoid Insecticides
March 12, 2018

Saving America’s Pollinators Act To Be Reintroduced in Congress
February 16, 2018

EPA's Assessments of Seeds Coated with Neonicotinoid Insecticides Confirm Dangers to Birds and Aquatic Organisms
January 4, 2018

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Thiamethoxam

General Information

• Product Names:

  Actara (Syngenta)
  Platinum (Syngenta)
  Meridian (Syngenta)
  Flagship (Syngenta)
  Helix Insecticide with Fungicides (Syngenta) formulated with Fludioxonil, Metalaxyl-M, and Difenoconazole
  Centric (Syngenta)
  Optigard (Syngenta)
  Endigo (Syngenta) formulated with Iambda-Cyhalothrin
  Durivo (Syngenta) formulated with Chlorantraniliprole
  Avicta Duo (Syngenta) formulated with Abamectin
  Derby (Syngeta) formulated with Iambda-Cyhalothrin
  Solvigo (Syngeta) formulated with Abamectin
  Agita (Novartis Animal Health) formulated with cis-9-Tricosene

• Chemical Class: Neonictinoid
• Uses: Corn, bean, coffee, stone fruit, cucurbits, cotton, and turf
• Alternatives: Organic agriculture
• Beyond Pesticides rating: Toxic

Health and Environmental Effects

• Cancer: Not documented
• Endocrine Disruption: Not documented
• Reproductive Effects: Yes (47)
• Neurotoxicity: Not documented
• Kidney/Liver Damage: Yes (47)
• Sensitizer/ Irritant: Not documented
• Birth/Developmental: Not documented
• Detected in Groundwater: Not documented
• Potential Leacher: Yes (43)
• Toxic to Birds: Not documented
• Toxic to Fish/Aquatic Organisms: Not documented
• Toxic to Bees: Yes (MSDS)

Residential Uses as Found in the ManageSafe™ Database

• Ants
• Chinch Bugs
• Cockroaches
• Grubs
• Bed Bugs

Additional Information

• Regulatory Status:
  • Beyond Pesticides' comments on Preliminary Neonicotioid Assessments (04/2018)
  • Beyond Pesticides' comments on Preliminary Bee Risk Assessment (7/2017)
  • Thiamethoxam Registration Review
  • EPA Actions on Pollinators
  • Benefits of Neonicotinoid Seed Treatments to Soybean Production (EPA, 2014)
• Supporting information:
  • EFSA risk assessments of three neonicotinoids – clothianidin, imidacloprid and thiamethoxam
  • EU Commission: Neonicotinoids
  • EFSA consultation for thiamethoxam (2016)
  • Poisoned Waterways (Beyond Pesticides, 2017)
  • Net Loss—Economic Efficacy And Costs Of Neonicotinoid Insecticides Used As Seed Coatings: Updates From The United States And Europe (Center for Food Safety, 2016)
  • Heavy Costs: Weighing the Value of Neonicotinoid Insecticides in Agriculture (Center for Food Safety, 2014)
  • The Xerces Society - Neonicotinoids and Bees
  • PAN Pesticides Database: Thiamethoxam (Pesticide Action Network)
• Studies:
  • A common neonicotinoid pesticide, thiamethoxam, impairs honey bee flight ability. Tosi, S, Burgio, G & Nieh, JC. 2017. Scientific Reportsvolume 7, Article number: 1201 
  • Effects of neonicotinoid pesticide exposure on human health: a systematic review. Cimino AM, Boyles AL, Thayer KA, Perry MJ. 2017. Environ Health Perspect. 125:155–162
  • First national-scale reconnaissance of neonicotinoid insecticides in streams across the U.S.A. Hladik, M.L. and Kolpin, D.W., 2016. Environ. Chem., v. 13, pp. 12-20.