4 ms·

I really think that DDT was needlessly discarded as a vector extermination agent. Actual research (instead of literary hyperbole) suggests that the effect on b

by jboggan 14y ago

I really think that DDT was needlessly discarded as a vector extermination agent. Actual research (instead of literary hyperbole) suggests that the effect on bird eggs and humans was not as severe as once supposed. How many have died of malaria in the past 40 years in areas that were once malaria-free? Off-hand I think the number is in the millions.

ianb 14y ago
Added to that, DDT was being used in very high amounts as a pesticide, but didn't need to be used in nearly as high levels for suppressing malaria. Resistance to DDT has formed anyway: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DDT#Mosquito_resistance http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DDT#Mosquito_resistance – though again this is because of agricultural use, not from disease prevention use. On the other hand, it's not that clear to me that DDT has actually been discarded?
cjensen 14y ago
The idea that DDT was not as harmful as claimed is a modern myth with no basis in fact. It's obvious to even the most casual birdwatcher with a few decades of experience that the fish-eating birds and top-of-the-food-chain birds have come back dramatically. There are plenty of fine modern pesticides which are just as effective as DDT without the side effects. Unfortunately, DDT was so bad the many modern consumers equate pesticide with poison.
snowwrestler 14y ago
DDT, while banned in the U.S., is still used--extensively I believe--in other nations to combat malaria.
gsb 14y ago
As others have pointed out, DDT is still in use for vector control, however its effectiveness is reduced because of resistance caused by excessive use for agricultural and general pesticide purposes. Mosquito resistance to DDT was something that was noted in the years before the effects on birds were raised, and this had as much to do with the ban on agricultural use as the ecological issues. DDT use really was out of control in the post-war period[1] and I think it is hard to say how severe the effects of a biopersistent chemical would be when its use was just increasing, increasing and increasing with no end in sight. [1]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-UiCSvQvVys http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-UiCSvQvVys
a_bonobo 14y ago
DDT is still one of the 12 pesticides recommended by the WHO for indoor spray programs in countries where Malaria is a problem. Source: http://www.epa.gov/opp00001/factsheets/chemicals/ddt-brief-history-status.htm http://www.epa.gov/opp00001/factsheets/chemicals/ddt-brief-h... DDT is being produced in China, North Korea and India. If you want an overview of the countries that use DDT, check table 1: http://ehp03.niehs.nih.gov/article/fetchArticle.action?articleURI=info%3Adoi%2F10.1289%2Fehp.0900785#t1-ehp-117-1656 http://ehp03.niehs.nih.gov/article/fetchArticle.action?artic... (The data is from 2009 but should still be correct) 14 countries: Mostly African countries, India, China and North Korea.

by jboggan 14y ago

ianb 14y ago

Added to that, DDT was being used in very high amounts as a pesticide, but didn't need to be used in nearly as high levels for suppressing malaria. Resistance to DDT has formed anyway: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DDT#Mosquito_resistance http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DDT#Mosquito_resistance – though again this is because of agricultural use, not from disease prevention use. On the other hand, it's not that clear to me that DDT has actually been discarded?

cjensen 14y ago

The idea that DDT was not as harmful as claimed is a modern myth with no basis in fact. It's obvious to even the most casual birdwatcher with a few decades of experience that the fish-eating birds and top-of-the-food-chain birds have come back dramatically. There are plenty of fine modern pesticides which are just as effective as DDT without the side effects. Unfortunately, DDT was so bad the many modern consumers equate pesticide with poison.

snowwrestler 14y ago

DDT, while banned in the U.S., is still used--extensively I believe--in other nations to combat malaria.

gsb 14y ago

As others have pointed out, DDT is still in use for vector control, however its effectiveness is reduced because of resistance caused by excessive use for agricultural and general pesticide purposes. Mosquito resistance to DDT was something that was noted in the years before the effects on birds were raised, and this had as much to do with the ban on agricultural use as the ecological issues. DDT use really was out of control in the post-war period[1] and I think it is hard to say how severe the effects of a biopersistent chemical would be when its use was just increasing, increasing and increasing with no end in sight. [1]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-UiCSvQvVys http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-UiCSvQvVys

a_bonobo 14y ago

DDT is still one of the 12 pesticides recommended by the WHO for indoor spray programs in countries where Malaria is a problem. Source: http://www.epa.gov/opp00001/factsheets/chemicals/ddt-brief-history-status.htm http://www.epa.gov/opp00001/factsheets/chemicals/ddt-brief-h... DDT is being produced in China, North Korea and India. If you want an overview of the countries that use DDT, check table 1: http://ehp03.niehs.nih.gov/article/fetchArticle.action?articleURI=info%3Adoi%2F10.1289%2Fehp.0900785#t1-ehp-117-1656 http://ehp03.niehs.nih.gov/article/fetchArticle.action?artic... (The data is from 2009 but should still be correct) 14 countries: Mostly African countries, India, China and North Korea.