From May 2010, an EU ruling will ban sales of pesticides containing Bifenthrin and the public will have until May 2011 to use up any existing products.
Gardeners use products containing Bifenthrin to control insects such as aphids, blackfly and whitefly. The active ingredient is a pyrethroid insecticide that affects the nervous system of such insects causing paralysis and death.
Bifenthrin is moderately toxic to many species of birds and highly toxic to fish, crustaceans and aquatic animals and bees with some papers suggesting it may also play a cancer causing role in mammals.
Scotts Miracle-Gro has introduced alternatives such as BugClear Ultra Concentrate and BugClear Ultra Gun! for decorative plants and BugClear Gun! for Fruit & Veg and BugClear Concentrate for Fruit and Veg for edible crops.
Alternative formulations to replace RoseClear-branded products will be available from February 2010. They include new product RoseClear for Bugs, a liquid concentrate using the systemic insecticide acetamiprid, and RoseClear 4 Gun!, a ready-to-use formulation of natural active ingredients, sulphur and fatty acids that promises to reduce infections of mildew and give useful control of greenfly, whitefly, red spider mite and thrips.
More information
Health & Safety Executive report on www.pesticides.gov.uk