Bees are the latest victims of plastic pollution. Why that raises serious concerns about our food supply
The IndependentSign up for our free Health Check email to receive exclusive analysis on the week in health Get our free Health Check email Get our free Health Check email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Plastic pollution in bees could have major consequences on the global food supply, scientists said Wednesday. We therefore urgently need to investigate what interaction this has with other stressors, such as climate change, for the bees and their pollination services,” Dr. Alexandra Maria-Klein, a professor at Germany’s University of Freiburg, said in a statement announcing the findings. “The plastic particles accumulate in the soil, and pollinators and beneficial insects that are important for pest control ingest them from the air and food or use them to build nests,” the university said. A 2015 study found that climate change was reducing bumblebee habitats, and UC Davis researchers say extreme drought and rainfall can affect bee health: drying up pollen and limiting their flying hours.
History of this topic
Watch these hungry waxworms eat through plastic and digest it too
BBC
The only thing that blocks adoption of more sustainable plastics is our obsession with fossil fuels
Salon
The importance of bees in the future of the ecosystem
Hindustan Times
The EPA May Extend the Use of Pesticides that Paralyze Bees
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