BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — A new bill proposed at the Massachusetts State House aims to stop the use of harmful pesticides.
These pesticides, known as neonicotinoids (“neonics”), are harmful to bees and have caused a massive die-off in commercial beehives in Massachusetts. Joseph Pappas, who works with Environment Massachusetts said, "bees are dying around Massachusetts, we know that just this past winter, our beekeepers saw one of the worst bee die-offs in recent years. 82% of commercial beehives in Massachusetts died off this past year."
Massachusetts put restrictions in place on neonics in 2021, but seeds coated with the pesticides are still being used in the state. Pappas and many other supporters are looking to state legislators to put restrictions in place on the use of these seeds.
Many supporters of this bill gathered outside of the State House, some dressed in bee costumes, on Oct. 27. Pappas shared his message to the Massachusetts state legislators. "We're asking that our legislators take action to save the bees, and we know that one immediate action that we can take is to restrict the use of the most widely used insecticides in the world, neonicotinoids, and specifically seeds that are pre-coated with these bee-killing pesticides," Pappas said.
WBZ NewsRadio’s Carl Stevens (@CarlWBZ) reports.