Pesticides In The United States

Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, better known as DDT is a notorious organochlorine pesticide that is created by the reaction of chloral with chlorobenzene in combination with sulfuric acid(Britannica p.1). It was first used as an insecticide in 1939 by Hermann Muller in Switzerland. DDT works as an insecticideby acting on the nervous system to generate the same neural impulse over and over causing body tremors and eventually death. DDT is an extremely stable chemical compound containing C14H9Cl5 which leads to some significant resistance issues when used as a pesticide. The most problematic property of DDT is its high fat solubility and extremely low water solubility meaning that it has a tendency to stick around in the environment for longer than we want since it is readily taken up in the bodies of nearby mammals.

Traditional markets are replaced by the supermarket. “Market products are invariably indigenous and grown locally” (344) they remind us the kind of agriculture practiced in the area. Blemishes and the odd shapes of fruit and vegetables remind us they are still grown by traditional method. Foods are grown naturally without any pesticides, herbicides and antibiotics which are healthy for our lives. Technology has enormous benefits we can produce any kind of products even it’s not the season. The use of pesticides supplies higher crop yields, reduces the cost and labor of farming, and produces relatively unblemished, visually appealing produce. However, some scientists think that pesticide residues in conventional foods could, over many years,

In the early 1940’s, a new technology emerged that was able to successfully combat crop-damaging and disease-carrying insects. A new age of synthetic chemical pesticides use arose. After their impressive success in fighting deadly insect-borne diseases during World War II, pesticides were used widely to combat insect pests for agriculture and public health. Few people challenged the benefits of the new scientific and technological products and many embraced pesticide use with enthusiasm. Despite its success, doubts about pesticide use began to appear a decade later in the 1950’s, when the government began a vigorous pesticide campaign across the country against insect pests. Scientists began reporting heavy losses of avian and

It has been a prime location for studies to be conducted by health organizations to see if there are any links to the pesticide usage occurring along with people living in the vicinity of where it is being used. ARTICLE PESTICDES STUDY (Kehoe) The study correlates a link between certain chemicals that are used in the manufacturing of pesticides and these chemical ORGANOCHLORINES to Alzheimer’s disease along with many autism related defects between children. Children are who we try to keep safe as they are the young and will be our future. Pregnant women living in pesticide applied areas were more likely to have a child with birth defects as the chemicals are absorbed through the air and can reach the fetus via the bloodstream. These are also the most susceptible to these chemicals being used by farmers and the by the produce they

According to the Pesticide Action Network, “DDT was one of the first chemicals in widespread use as a pesticide. Following World War II, it was promoted as a wonder-chemical, the simple solution to pest problems large and small. Today, nearly 40 years after DDT was banned in the U.S., we continue to live with its long-lasting effects.” The moral dilemma here is whether or not to keep using DDT and other pesticides. They have caused so much harm and even now that they are banned here in the US, we’re still suffering from the side effects today.

Pesticides: What are they? Pesticides are chemicals that are used to destroy pests. In the agricultural industry, pesticides are classified into two categories, carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic. A carcinogenic pesticide is a substance or agent producing or inciting cancer. Conversely, a non-carcinogenic pesticide is substance that does not produce or incite cancer. Most agricultural pesticides were registered in the 1950's, with no standard regulations. The most considerable standard prior to the amendments of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA) was, if a revocation of a pesticide occurred, would it have an impact on the prices or availability of food to the consumer? Consumer concerns with the usage of pesticides in the

Pesticides are not new. Crops have always been subject to pests and diseases as well as other natural occurrences such as bad weather. In earlier times people had no access to machines and other inventions to make farming more efficient. They faced famine if crop yields were weak multiple years in a row. The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) writes that the first recorded use of pesticides was 4500 years ago by the Sumerians. Mr. Giotto, a history teacher at Bay Trail Middle school describes them as “the first people to migrate Mesopotamia, they created a great civilization.”. They used sulphur compounds as a natural pesticide, and this could be why they were so great in the first

The initiative tried to discuss the potential environmental and social issues associated with pesticides. Although their website does not clearly state specific examples of this problem, the general organisation attempts to improve ecosystem biodiversity. This initiative as helped to improve this non-governmental organisation’s trustworthiness among the general forestry market because of their tick system. Compared to the other projects (Change Our Fibreboards, FSC Fridays) introduced by FSC, this initiative was more potent because of the rigorous guidelines provided to examine the environmental issues. Some of the strategies show some strengths about the initiative; the 3R and IPM mentioned to prevent any harm

2. According to Whatsonmyfood.org, 88 million pounds of pesticides are applied each and every year in the U.S. That’s nearly 3 pounds per person!

From 1960 to 1981, pesticide use in the U.S. tripled. 1981 was the peak of pesticide use. That year, over 632 million pounds of pesticides were used. To put that in perspective, that’s equivalent to the weight of over 1,500 full-grown elephants.

Wargo, Alderman, and Wargo, a team of researchers commissioned by the Environmental & Human Health corporation, in Risks from Lawn-care Pesticides: Including Inadequate Packaging and Labeling, discuss the harms of pesticide use, a prevalent practice in the lawn care industry. An advocate of several environmental protection services and bodies, Environmental & Human Health works to identify environmental harms, educate the public on relationship between the environment and human health, and promote public policies that ensure the protection of human and environmental health. The agency writes to communicate with the entire public, but the included information is of most use those for who provide and consume lawn care services; both parties come

Although a vast increase has been seen in the enactment of pesticide legislation worldwide, it remains absent in approximately a quarter of countries in Africa and the Southeast Asian region . Where present, regulations often lack comprehensiveness and the capacity to enforce these effectively. Conversely, developed nations are increasingly implementing more stringent legislation.

One concern about pesticides and herbicide usage is the amount of residues left on the end product of crops sprayed with the chemicals, and their effects on human health. (Williamson, 2007, p. 184). However, these effects are closely tested and levels are strictly regulated to ensure there is no danger from possible pesticide residues. Since 1910, many rules, regulations, and agencies have been formed to monitor the safety of the pesticides and herbicides used in conventional farming. These chemicals must meet specific safety standards in order to be registered for use, and regulations on levels of each product safe for use are also put in place. (Tafel et al.,2007, p.184). All pesticides are rigorously examined to ensure they have no significant effects on human health, or the environment. The residues in the food chain are closely monitored, and regularly tested, to ensure they are below legal limits. In a recent survey of residues

After viewing the studies held in the United States and Africa, I believe that the use of DDT in the United States or Africa is not ethical. If I were a politician or community leader, I would ban the use of all the insecticides that harm people and the environment. Even if some will argue that their current use in some areas shows that their perceived benefits outweigh the health and environmental risks, but I strongly believe that the use of DDT is not an appropriate insecticide. According to United States Environmental Protection Agency, DDT is known to be very persistent in the environment and stays for a significant period of time; it will accumulate in fatty tissues, and can travel long distances in the upper atmosphere (EPA, n.d.).

For human toxicity, estimates of pesticide residues show that food intake results in the highest toxic exposure, about 103-105 times higher than that induced by drinking water or inhalation (Margni et al. 2002). Farm workers in the Indian tobacco fields were found to have multiple pesticide residues above acceptable daily intake (ADI) in their blood consisting of 63% methomyl, 56% thiodicarb, 62% cypermethrin; 49% imidacloprid, 32% methamidophos and 27% endosulfan (Dasgupta et al. 2007). Measurement of total dose through dietary intake provides better estimates of human exposure to pesticides. A study conducted showed that the average total dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and Benzene hexa chloride (BHC) consumed by an adult were 19.24 mg/day and 77.15 mg/day respectively, fatty food being the major source (Kashyap et al. 1994). In another study, the average daily intake of HCH and DDT by Indians was reported to be 115 and 48 mg per person respectively, which were significantly higher in