I recently wrote about beekeepers using plastic frames for honey storage in beehives. We avoid using these as we are concerned from a bee health point of view but also environmentally. But it's not just the frames that are available in plastic, you can now buy full plastic beehives. When the hive is at the end of its life what will happen to it? I find it pretty concerning when there are so many people trying to avoid plastic use that industries are just coming up with more plastic ware! Shouldn't manufacturers be coming up with smarter, more environmentally friendly options? Do they not care about the future of our planet?
It's not just at the end of the beehives life I'm concerned about. If a beekeeper has American foulbrood (AFB) in their hive, the hive has to be burnt to eradicate it. AFB is a disease of honey bee larvae and pupae. It wipes out an infected hive and is spread to other hives by the movement of contaminated hives and equipment, it's highly contagious. It is pretty upsetting when you have to burn a hive but I think it would feel pretty bad watching the plastic burn. Can you imagine what that does to the environment if beekeepers are burning plastic beehives and frames? I would love to see plastic beehives banned. Just my personal opinion.
