A GROUP of 13 environmental groups across the country have called for the government to fully enforce the ban on neonicotinoid pesticides.

The EU-wide ban on three of the pesticides came into force on Sunday and has been linked in the decline in the number of bees in the UK.

The Lancashire Wildlife Trust, Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth and the RSPB are among the groups to have called on the government.

The group have said that although the UK has to implement the ban, clarification is ‘lacking’ on how it will be effectively enforced and monitored. They are also concerned about the safe disposal of unused neonics and treated seeds.

A spokesman for the group said: “Given unprecedented public concern for bees and the risks they face from pesticides, we welcome the ban on certain neonicotinoid products, which have been shown to be harmful to bees and pollinators.

“We call on the government to stop bowing to the powerful agrochemical industry and ensure this temporary ban is fully implemented and enforced.”