No matter where you live or when you were born, you almost surely have at least asmall amount of DDT stored in the fatty tissues of your body. Why? Thisnotorious toxic pesticide, which led to the extinction of the American bald eagle in1970s, has long been banned in the U.S. and most other developed countries.But according to a new report by the World Wildlife Fund in Washington, DDTis still used in many developing nations, mainly because it’s so effective incontrolling mosquitoes that carry the malaria parasite.
The persistence of DDT is a problem—and not just in the countries that use it.DDT and several other common chlorine-containing pesticides are sturdymolecules that can stay intact for decades. They evaporate into the atmosphereand are blown by the wind all over the globe. They condense and fall to theground in cold weather, especially in higher altitudes. Some of the highest
concentrations of DDT are found in polar bears, penguins and the Inuit people of
northern Canada.
Although levels of DDT contamination are gradually falling in countries wherethe pesticide has been banned, new scientific research suggests that the chemicalsare still a serious threat everywhere. Studies show that even small amounts of
pesticides can disrupt the working of human hormones, interfering withreproduction and the functioning of the immune system. That’s whyrepresentatives of more than 100 nations gathered at a U.N. meeting in Nairobito work toward a global treaty that would phase out DDT and 11 otherpesticides, known as the “dirty dozen.” Environmentalists say it’s possible tofind alternative way to fight malaria—and get rid of DDT once and for all.
No matter where you live or when you were born, you almost surely have at least asmall amount of DDT stored in the fatty tissues of your body. Why? Thisnotorious toxic pesticide, which led to the extinction of the American bald eagle in1970s, has long been banned in the U.S. and most other developed countries.But according to a new report by the World Wildlife Fund in Washington, DDTis still used in many developing nations, mainly because it’s so effective incontrolling mosquitoes that carry the malaria parasite.The persistence of DDT is a problem—and not just in the countries that use it.DDT and several other common chlorine-containing pesticides are sturdymolecules that can stay intact for decades. They evaporate into the atmosphereand are blown by the wind all over the globe. They condense and fall to theground in cold weather, especially in higher altitudes. Some of the highestconcentrations of DDT are found in polar bears, penguins and the Inuit people ofnorthern Canada.Although levels of DDT contamination are gradually falling in countries wherethe pesticide has been banned, new scientific research suggests that the chemicalsare still a serious threat everywhere. Studies show that even small amounts ofpesticides can disrupt the working of human hormones, interfering withreproduction and the functioning of the immune system. That’s whyrepresentatives of more than 100 nations gathered at a U.N. meeting in Nairobito work toward a global treaty that would phase out DDT and 11 otherpesticides, known as the “dirty dozen.” Environmentalists say it’s possible tofind alternative way to fight malaria—and get rid of DDT once and for all.
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