Presence of the herbicide clopyralid in honey

A new study shows how the herbicide clopyralid applied to winter rape fields in accordance with the approval can be found in nectar and pollen collected in the fields as well as in honey from hives located by the fields.

In the majority of honey collected at the treated winter rape fields, a residual content of clopyralide was detected above the limit value, which means that the honey may not be sold. The limit value in honey is currently not determined on the basis of a risk assessment, but only determined on the basis of the detection limit. This is because information is not yet available to establish a specific limit value for clopyralid in honey (lack of residual data). An application to the EU for clopyralid in honey with the necessary data is likely to result in a limit value higher than the current detection limit.