조용한 위협: 한국의 꿀벌 감소와 살충제 논쟁

환경 운동가들과 관심 있는 시민 여러분, 냉혹한 사실에 대비하세요. 한국에서 꿀벌이 놀라운 속도로 사라지고 있습니다. 이 포괄적이고 공식적이며 중립적인 기사에서는 꿀벌 개체수 감소라는 심각한 현상과 무분별한 네오니코티노이드 살충제 사용과의 잠재적 연관성에 대해 자세히 살펴봅니다.

국내 꿀벌의 위기는 지난 4월 청주시 홍 모 씨의 양봉장을 취재팀이 방문했을 때 더욱 극명하게 드러났습니다. 양봉을 하는 홍 씨는 300군 중 270군 정도가 겨울 동안 사라져 큰 손실을 입었습니다. 청주시 김 모 씨의 양봉장에서도 비슷한 일이 벌어졌는데, 330군 중 260군에서 꿀벌 개체수가 급격히 감소했습니다.

이 같은 꿀벌 군집 소멸 현상은 올해부터 광범위하게 나타나고 있다. 한국양봉협회에 따르면 2023년 초 기준으로 협회에 소속된 국내 꿀벌 군락지 중 무려 61.4%가 꿀벌이 사라지거나 꿀벌 폐사를 목격했다고 합니다.

국제적으로 과학자들은 꿀벌 개체 수 감소의 주요 원인으로 네오니코티노이드 살충제를 면밀히 조사하고 있습니다. 일반적으로 '네오닉'이라고 불리는 이 살충제는 식물 전체에 퍼지는 전신 살충제로, 꿀벌을 포함해 식물과 접촉하는 곤충에 매우 독성이 강합니다. 강력한 살충 특성으로 인해 네오니코티노이드는 전 세계의 숲과 들판에서 널리 사용되어 왔습니다. 최초의 네오니코티노이드인 이미다클로프리드는 1991년 독일 제약회사 바이엘에서 출시했으며, 2000년대 초 중국 신젠타의 티아메톡삼과 일본 다케다의 클로티아니딘이 그 뒤를 이었습니다.

그러나 2004년 프랑스에서 네오니코티노이드 살충제로 인한 꿀벌 피해 사례가 처음으로 보고되면서 우려가 촉발되었습니다. 이에 유럽 양봉가들과 환경 단체들은 유럽연합 내에서 네오니코티노이드 살충제 사용을 규제할 것을 촉구했습니다. 2013년 5월, 유럽연합은 유럽 전역에서 이미다클로프리드, 티아메톡삼, 클로티아니딘의 사용을 2년간 한시적으로 금지한다고 발표했습니다.

이후 2015년 4월 유럽학술과학자문위원회(EASAC)와 2015년 11월 유럽식품안전청(EFSA)은 네오니코티노이드가 꿀벌에 미치는 해로운 영향을 확인한 연구 결과를 발표했습니다. 그 결과 2018년 2월 유럽연합은 이미다클로프리드, 클로티아니딘, 티아메톡삼의 야외 사용을 전면 금지했습니다. 프랑스를 비롯한 일부 국가에서는 특정 작물에 대한 네오니코티노이드 사용을 '긴급 승인'하려는 움직임을 보였지만, 2023년 1월 유럽사법재판소의 판결로 유럽연합 내 네오니코티노이드 사용의 엄격한 금지 조치가 유지되었습니다.

#꿀벌을살려라, #환경문제, #농약논쟁, #양봉, #꿀벌위기, #네오니코티노이드, #환경영향, #꿀벌인구, #수분매개자, #한국농업

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