37 Years After the Banning of DDT, It Continues to Show Detrimental Health Effects for Humans
by Daniel Hohler on Feb.03, 2010, under Writing
Most of us know the sad and destructive history of former widespread pesticide DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane for you chemists). It’s egg shell thining properties have famously taken out many a generation of bald eagle, as well as many other bird species. The once heralded solution to malaria, DDT was sprayed everywhere without a thought. This attitude of pesticide being “a-ok” lasted into the 1980’s, and lead to this most hilarious and sad poster (seen above) of two attractive young ladies having a pesticide fight. Try suggesting that one these days as a fun game for the whole family.
When environmental and health concerns were raised in the scientific community, an out cry called for the banning of DDT, and in 1972 the ban went into effect. Unfortunately for all of us, the half life of DDT is 30 years. So for those of us scoring at home, there is still almost half the DDT left floating around in our environment that was sprayed the year of the ban… 37 years ago!
I, perhaps like some of you, have heard of studies linking DDT with cancer. For many years DDT has been linked with many different types of cancer. The notion that DDT can cause cancer is well published and seems to have sunk into the public’s consciousness as just common knowledge. If nothing else, I think we all associate pesticide as something we don’t want to be sprayed all over our bodies.
New studies are bringing to light a new health detriment that has not been well publicized. There is mounting evidence that DDT is linked to diabetes. New research out of the great lakes area has shown that high levels of the DDT led to a 38% higher chance of developing diabetes.
As GreenOption’s resident medical student, I can tell you diabetes has become a very large problem in the United States. 23 million people in the United States suffer from diabetes. Diabetics cannot produce (type I) or use enough (type II) insulin, a hormone that allows glucose (the body’s fuel) to enter cells.
The exact mechanism is still unknown, and the study did not differentiate between type I and type II diabetes. Obviously more research will be needed to nail down the exact link between DDT and diabetes. I just hope we can all use our past mistakes as a cautionary tale. Let us not put substances into the environment without, at the very least, understanding all of the consequences. 37 years after the spraying of a once praised pesticide, humans and other animals are still paying the price.
-Image Credit: Craig Radcliffe on Flickr
Update: Link to the study in .pdf format from the University of Albany: Environmental Contaminants as Risk Factors for Developing Diabetes
Originally Published on: http://planetsave.com/blog/2009/07/24/37-years-after-the-banning-of-ddt-it-continues-to-show-detrimental-health-effects-for-humans/
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November 20th, 2011 on 5:06 pm
Hi
Just got back from a visit to Tanzania.
In connection with DDT you make no mention of the biggest killer in the World - Malaria. Obviously this isn’t something affecting many in the USA - but it is in Africa where millions are dying every year.
Until something better comes along to replace DDT in the fight against Malaria in the 3dr World, your rehashing of popular 1970s Ist World angles on DDT and cancer only lead to cynacism on the part of readers.
If it wasn’t for the misuse of this very effective weapon - by you Americans - developed to fight Malaria ( Nobel Prize in 1947) - through its overuse in agriculture mostly in USA in 1950s - then fewer people would have died in the 3rd world from Malaria - MILLIONS fewer!
“DDT was responsible for the eradication of Malaria from Italy and Greece in the immediate post WW2 area. - AND Southern USA!
South Africa is one country that continues to use DDT under WHO guidelines. In 1996, the country switched to alternative insecticides and malaria incidence increased dramatically. Returning to DDT and introducing new drugs brought malaria back under control.[89] According to DDT advocate Donald Roberts, malaria cases increased in South America after countries in that continent stopped using DDT. Research data shows a significantly strong negative relationship between DDT residual house sprayings and malaria rates. In a research from 1993 to 1995, Ecuador increased its use of DDT and resulted in a 61% reduction in malaria rates, while each of the other countries that gradually decreased its DDT use had large increase in malaria rates.[32]” Wiki
I guess the message I’m sending you Daniel is that 1970s slogans like “Ban DDT” are meaningless in the complex world we live in. Peoples lives are more important.
Ask any African doctor.