The world’s largest manufacturer of lawn and garden care products, Scotts Miracle-Gro, said it will “immediately begin to transition away from the use of neonicotinoid-based pesticides for outdoor use” sold under the Ortho brand name. The so-called neonics are believed to be a factor in the decline of honeybee populations.
Scotts said it will end the use of two neonics, clothianidin and dinotefuran, by 2017. “While [regulatory] agencies in the United States are still evaluating the overall impact of neonics on pollinator populations, it’s time for Ortho to move on,” said Tim Martin, Ortho’s general manager. Scotts also announced a multi-year partnership with the Pollinator Stewardship Council, an advocacy group for bees and other pollinating insects, to produce educational materials for homeowners about responsible use of pesticides.