EU Agency Says Pesticide Reviews Should Consider Risks to Bats

The European Union’s pesticide risk assessments should consider the plight of bats, which could be exposed to the chemicals when they forage across farmland or roost in nearby buildings, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) said.

Current EFSA guidance on assessing the impact of pesticides on birds and mammals as part of the EU authorization process for plant-protection products does not cover bats, although the pollinators are legally protected in the EU. Such protections mean harming them could be a criminal offense, EFSA said.

“There is a need to develop a bat‐specific risk assessment scheme” for pesticides, EFSA said ...