5.3 Approaches to Pollution Management
5.3.1 Outline approaches to pollution management with respect to figure 5.
5.3.2 Discuss the human factors that affect the approaches to pollution management.
5.3.3 Evaluate the costs and benefits to society of the World Health Organization’s ban on the use of the pesticide DDT.
LUKA
1. What is DDT? · DDT is an organochlorine insecticide that was first synthesized in 1874 by a chemist named Zeidler. · DDT was a commonly-used pesticide for insect control in the United States until it was canceled in 1972 by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA). · Peak production of DDT in the U. S. was 188 million pounds in 1963. · By the early 1970s, production decreased to 60 million pounds per year due to the ban. 2. What are the negatives? DDT was found in every American, they received 0.25 milligrams per day. It was used in agriculture products and livestock. DDT was stayed in the livers, fats and kidneys of the body forever. This is the reason why DDT was banned in USA, as a result of DDT’s high damage of human and animal body. 3. What are the potential benefits? In many poor countries in Africa, malaria disease is very common, by spraying DDT on the walls adult mosquitoes were dying that carry malarial parasite. By banning DDT in some countries, the malaria disease statistically has grown, so the benefits that DDT has are that DDT kills mosquitoes and it is very efficient and strong. 4. What is your opinion? In my opinion DDT should be used in the countries were malaria has become serious problem and where the number of harmed people from malaria is high. However, DDT should never be used for agriculture and livestock, DDT should be conserved in the hospitals or special places where no one can get in. |
GEORGE
DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) is an insecticide which is a white, crystalline solid, tasteless and almost non aromatic chemical compound. It was mainly used as a fertilizer and protector from malaria. This compound guaranteed malaria-free mosquito connection to the plants. In 1970’s it got banned from the use because of dangers and chances of raising diabetes rates among the users. It has also caused some types of toxicity, also this compound affected many other species than mosquitos and directly attacked reproductive system. Statistics show that many bird species have decrease in number while DDT was in use. Also over time, it was said that mosquitos had built protective systems and DDT resistant populations were starting to grow. If DDT was permitted today, than the malaria spread around the world and number of infected people would decrease, but for how long?! Also what would be its externalities?! Nobody knows. In my opinion new investigations and experimentation has to begin in order to test the compound up to its demand. There is possibility of developing this compound, if this doesn’t happen, I think that DDT can be very dangerous for human health itself. |