DDT is still used today in South America, Africa, and Asia for this purpose. Farmers used DDT on a variety of food crops in the United States and worldwide. DDT was also used in buildings for pest control.

1972

It was initially used with great effect to combat malaria, typhus, and the other insect-borne human diseases among both military and civilian populations. It also was effective for insect control in crop and livestock production, institutions, homes, and gardens.

More than 600,000 tonnes (1.35 billion pounds) were applied in the US before the 1972 ban. Usage peaked in 1959 at about 36,000 tonnes. In 2009, 3,314 tonnes were produced for malaria control and visceral leishmaniasis. India is the only country still manufacturing DDT, and is the largest consumer.

DDT poisoning of birds is extremely rare, although traces of the persistent pesticide remain in people and wildlife worldwide. Populations of bald eagles and other birds crashed when DDT thinned their eggs, killing their embryos.

DDT’s devastating effect on the aquatic environment has been thoroughly studied. Due to it’s low solubility, it has a greater rate of bioaccumulation in water, and thus poses a great long-term threat to aquatic wildlife.

Human Health Harms Studies show a range of human health effects linked to DDT and its breakdown product, DDE: breast & other cancers. male infertility. miscarriages & low birth weight.

Our quick ethical analysis suggests that the overuse of DDT is unethical and cannot be justified as it violates safety and security, humility, precaution, stewardship of the Earth, and respect for nature, while also casting doubts on the long-term benefits of using DDT. High rates of DDT use must be avoid- ed.

Following exposure to high doses, human symptoms can include vomiting, tremors or shakiness, and seizures. Laboratory animal studies showed effects on the liver and reproduction. DDT is considered a possible human carcinogen.

DDT is a synthetic insecticide of very high contact toxicity which, until recently, was used on a global scale. However, DDT was a truly important development in its time and a major weapon in the control of malaria. Dr. Muller was awarded the Nobel Prize for Medicine in 1948.

Children can be seen having the pesticide applied to their heads and inside their clothing during the clip. Allied forces used the chemical to stop the spread of lice-borne typhus which was prevalent in Italy between 1943 and 1945.

DDT is a synthetic (man-made) chemical that was first used as a pesticide in 1939. It is an insecticide that kills insects by disrupting their nervous systems.

DDT (dichloro diphenyl trichloroethane) is a non- biodegradable pesticide. It is persistent, fat soluble and shows biomagnification. So they are more harmful to higher tropic level organisms.