« Video Exclusive: "Extreme Activism" 101 - Inside the Lair of a Dangerous 'Eco-Terrorist'! | Main | There's No Escaping 'Deformities' & Toxic Chemicals in Farmed Salmon! »

04/22/2021

SEPA ordered by Commissioner to Disclose 'Commercially Confidential' Information on CleanTreat & BMK08 (Imidacloprid) by 7 June

 



 

A ruling issued yesterday (21 April 2021) by the Scottish Information Commissioner (to be posted publicly on their web-site next week) forces the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) to disclose 'commercially confidential' documents on Benchmark's 'CleanTreat' water purification system by 7 June 2021.  The withheld documents may include details on the toxic neonicotinoid Imidacloprid (BMK08/Ectosan) which was banned for use in terrestrial agriculture in 2018 but has already been trialled in Norway and Mowi has lobbied SEPA for a 'field trial' in Loch Ailort.  However, the Scottish Information Commissioner ruled that other documents - requested by Scottish Salmon Watch before the identify of BMK08 (Ectosan) was publicly revealed by the Ferret - are viewed as "trade secrets". 

 

SIC Clean Treat SEPA Decision Notice 046-2021 21 April 2021 #1

 

 

Read the SIC's Decision Notice (202000275) in full online here - including:

 

SIC Clean Treat SEPA Decision Notice 046-2021 21 April 2021 #2

 

SIC Clean Treat SEPA Decision Notice 046-2021 21 April 2021 #3

 

SIC Clean Treat SEPA Decision Notice 046-2021 21 April 2021 #4

SIC Clean Treat SEPA Decision Notice 046-2021 21 April 2021 #5

SIC Clean Treat SEPA Decision Notice 046-2021 21 April 2021 #6

 

 

The SIC's Decision Notice (21 April 2021) dealt with the issue of "Trade Secrets": 

 

SIC Clean Treat SEPA Decision Notice 046-2021 21 April 2021 #7

 

SIC Clean Treat SEPA Decision Notice 046-2021 21 April 2021 #8

 

SIC Clean Treat SEPA Decision Notice 046-2021 21 April 2021 #9

 

SIC Clean Treat SEPA Decision Notice 046-2021 21 April 2021 #10

 

SIC Clean Treat SEPA Decision Notice 046-2021 21 April 2021 #11

 

 

Here's the Scottish Information Commissioner's letter to Scottish Salmon Watch (21 April 2021):

 

SIC CleanTreat SEPA Decision 046-2021 Letter to Scottish Salmon Watch 21 April 2021 #1

SIC CleanTreat SEPA Decision 046-2021 Letter to Scottish Salmon Watch 21 April 2021 #2

SIC CleanTreat SEPA Decision 046-2021 Letter to Scottish Salmon Watch 21 April 2021 #3

 

 

Scottish Salmon Watch is especially interested in how Benchmark can magically make the toxic neonicotinoid disappear in a puff of smoke (scientists who have spoken out against the use of Imidacloprid in aquatic environments are also sceptical).

 

 

 

 

 

"Imidacloprid is extremely toxic to invertebrates by acute and chronic exposure, and therefore makes no sense at all to use it in the aquatic environment, where organisms are exposed continuously to residues, no matter how low they may be," said Dr Francisco Sánchez-Bayo of the School of Life and Environmental Sciences at The University of Sydney in June 2020.  "The claim that imidacloprid would not enter the aquatic environment upon release of the salmon is fallacious. Due to the mobility of this chemical in water, it is practically impossible to avoid contamination of the receiving waters. Even tiny residues below 1 ppb can deplete populations of aquatic insects! For this reason, I cannot understand the need for using a product that contains imidacloprid for salmon farming. There are other chemicals used for disinfecting fish that cause less harm to the aquatic environment than imidacloprid, so why should anyone insist in using the worst chemical in the market for such a purpose?"

 

 

 

 

 

Scottish Salmon Watch reported in June 2020:

 

 

 

 

The Ferret reported in March 2020:

 

 

 

 

Scottish Salmon Watch has repeatedly asked the authorities in Scotland whether Imidacloprid has already been used in 'Scottish' salmon farming - either illegally or with a secret licence in the field or in the laboratory - but we have hit brick wall after brick wall. 

 

 

 

Scottish Salmon Watch has asked the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, Scottish Natural Heritage (Nature Scotland), the Veterinary Medicines Directorate, the Scottish Government and even Benchmark for copies of any environmental risk assessments regarding the use of Imidacloprid (BMK08/Ectosan) use in salmon farming but have been denied at every turn.

 

 

 

 

Scottish Salmon Watch reported (16 April 2021):

 

The neonicotinoid Imidacloprid (hidden by Norwegian-owned Benchmark behind the code-name BMK08 - formerly Ectosan) is expected to win market authorisation in Norway "soon" with Scotland and Chile next on the hit list for the toxic chemical which was banned for use in terrestrial agriculture in 2018 and is even more toxic in aquatic environments.   Yet the general public - and investors - are being kept in the dark as to the environmental risks. 

 

 

 

 

 

Scottish Salmon Watch and The Ferret revealed in March 2020 that BMK08 (known as Ectosan until late 2019) was Imidacloprid following a tip-off that Mowi had sought approval via the Aquaculture Stewardship Council.  Benchmark's largest owner is Norwegian tobacco billionaire Johan Andresen who rather paradoxically is Chair of Norway's Council on Ethics who polices 'ethical' investment including in 'Scottish' salmon farming.

 

 

 

 

 

British Wildlife reported in August 2020:

 

British Wildlife August 2020 #1

British Wildlife August 2020 #3

British Wildlife August 2020 #4

 

 

The Sunday Times reported in June 2020:

 

Sunday Times 14 June 2020 #1

Sunday Times 14 June 2020 #2

Sunday Times 14 June 2020 #3

Sunday Times 14 June 2020 #4

Sunday Times 14 June 2020 #5

 

 

Last week (17 April 2021), Scottish Salmon Watch filed another FOI request with SEPA, the Scottish Government and Veterinary Medicines Directorate for information on BMK08/Ectosan (Imidacloprid).

 

 

 

 

Read more via:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted at 10:20 AM |

|