As humans who enjoy fruits and vegetables or anything that must be grown we know that pesticide is required to keep those pesky bugs off our food. Do the pesticides used on food help or harm us? DDT or dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane manufacturing began in the 1940’s and the intentions were only good. Back in its prime DDT was an important insecticide for crops, and a way of fighting illnesses. As times, have changed DDT is viewed as harmful to humans and wildlife.
Dr. Paul Herman Muller, a skilled laboratory technologist, invented DDT to prevent bugs in the environment and from getting on crops (Davis pp. 4). Dr. Muller first tested his insecticide on potato bugs eating crops in Colorado with great success (pp. 6). Soon DDT was used widely by farmers and foresters to keep unwanted bugs off plants (“DDT” pp. 4). DDT was deadly to a wide range of insects and would help the production of crops (pp. 7). It was very beneficial to the everyday farmer to be able to protect their one source of income.
Not only did DDT help the production of crops it also was a way of controlling bugs that caused malaria, epidemic typhus, dysentery and typhoid fever (Davis pp. 9). The doctors that treated World War II soldiers soon realized that the war was not going to kill any people if they were going to die from illness first (pp. 9). Soon cans of powdered DDT were distributed to the soldiers. Millions of sailors and soldiers carried cans of DDT to protect themselves from bugs, lice and mosquitos that transmitted diseases (pp. 11). DDT bombs were also used to cleanse out barracks and nearby villages that were unclean (pp. 12). Dosing people and the surrounding environment with DDT would soon become a problem.
Although DDT had a bright future it soon showed a less desirable environmental issue. Animals such as bees, fish, birds, and others animal were being killed, and some species were even becoming extinct due to the use of DDT (“DDT” pp. 5). These issues occurred because DDT does not break down so that means it could stay in the ground for years. It also does not dissolve in water (“DDT pp. 6). Fish feed on the algae in water and the algae contains DDT, this means the fish now contain levels of DDT (“DDT pp.9). Birds also carry DDT concentrated in their body fat. This makes their eggs fragile and decreases the bird population (“DDT” pp. 11). Not only did DDT influence animals it also affected humans. It is proven that the long-term use of DDT has led to cancer, infertility, miscarriages, low birth weight, developmental delays, nervous system, and liver damage (“The DDT Story pp. 10). Rachel Carson, a biologist and conservationist, brought to light the dangers of DDT in her book Silent Spring. Her ground-breaking book led to the establishment of the Environmental Protection Agency or the EPA (“The DDT Story” pp. 3). The big pesticide companies of course attacked her and even questioned her credibility as a scientist (“The DDT Story” pp. 4). Carson presented her findings calmly and even provided evidence but the companies did not agree with her (pp.4). President John F. Kennedy called a meeting to look over Carson’s evidence and found that what she was saying was sad but true (“The DDT Story” pp. 4). DDT was soon going to meet its demise.
The EPA banned the use of DDT in 1973. Some other countries outside of the United States like Ethiopia still use DDT to control mosquito and fly populations (“DDT” pp. 2). The effect of DDT can still be seen in our environment. Whether it is a waning eagle population or World War II veterans with health problems, DDT was an invention whose intention was only good but adding chemicals to our environment is never a good idea.
Works Cited
Davis, Kenneth. “The Deadly Dust: The Unhappy History Of DDT, American History Lives at
American Heritage.” American Heritage, Feb. 1971, www.americanheritage.com/content/deadly-dust-unhappy-history-ddt. Accessed 19 Nov. 2016.
“The DDT Story.” Pesticide Action Network, www.panna.org/resources/ddt-story. Accessed 19
Nov. 2016.
"DDT." Science Clarified. Web. http://www.scienceclarified.com/Co-Di/DDT-
dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane.html. Accessed 20 Nov. 2016.
The Chemical Killer
