BASF insecticide suspected of environmental threat

Germany's BASF AG have not commented on the French government's decision to suspend the sale of its Regent insecticide, which may pose a danger to bees.

BASF is the world's largest chemical company, ahead of Dow and DuPont, and have more than 100 major manufacturing facilities and does business worldwide.

In 2003, BASF sold its fibres unit to focus on core chemical operations, which it added to with the acquisition of the chemical division of Mine Safety Appliance (MSA) in September.

BASF spokesperson Michael Grabicki said: "We have been informed by the French authorities, but do not yet have exact details why this has happened, and that is why we cannot comment any further."

BASF was placed under investigation by a court in Saint-Gaudens last week, and yesterday the court also placed under investigation Bayer AG's CropScience France unit, the owner of Regent from June 2002 to March 2003.

Both companies are accused of selling Regent without full disclosure of the insecticides risks on the health of humans and animals, when beekeepers began to discover abnormally high bee mortality rates in areas where the product was used.