Recently, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released the final biological assessment reports for two neonicotinoid pesticides, dinotefuran and acetamiprid. The assessment is an important environmental safety assessment work under the framework of the U.S. Endangered Species Act, which comprehensively analyzes the ecological impacts of these two widely used pesticide products.

Dinotefuran and acetamiprid are widely used insecticides in agricultural production today, primarily for controlling stinging pests such as aphids. The assessments show that dinotefuran may adversely affect 75 percent of federally threatened or endangered species and 78 percent of critical habitat, with 6 percent of species and 5 percent of habitat potentially at high risk; and acetamiprid may adversely affect 56 percent of federally threatened or endangered species and 32 percent of critical habitat, with 11 percent of species and 10 percent of habitat potentially at high risk.

EPA said the results of these assessments will be used to guide subsequent revisions to registration management and labeling requirements to better balance agricultural production needs with ecological protection.