What we don’t know about Pesticides
What is a pesticide?
Pesticides are substances or mixture of substances intended for preventing, destroying, repelling or mitigating any pest. (epa.gov)
A pesticide may be a chemical substance, biological agent (such as a virus or bacterium), antimicrobial, disinfectant or device used against any pest. Although it is well noted that pesticides certainly have their benifits, they do come with strong drawbacks and problems, such as toxicity and chemical harm that can be examined in humans and animals.
Why are they dangerous?
There are two types of dangers to be considered when discussing the risks of pesticides on humans, first one is direct exposure to pesticides, and the second one would be indirect exposure. In either case it is notable that pesticides are a major contributor to anything in the range of simple irritation of the skin and eyes to more severe effects such as affecting the nervous system, mimicking hormones causing reproductive problems, and also causing cancer. (http://www.epa.gov/opp00001/health/human.htm). Further research determined a correlation between Hodgkin lymphoma and leukemia, 2 major worldwide diseases, with excessive exposure to pesticides.
What is the difference between direct and indirect exposure?
Direct exposure when it comes to pesticides is simple, it occurs to the people who work on the farms and are applying the pesticides to the plantations. They’re effects are typically more severe and quicker in developing, and it is noted by the World Health Organization and the UN that 18,000 people die each year of pesticide posioning in developing countries (does not include highly poverty stricken regions or developed countries) , with a further 3 million agrarian workers suffering from mild poisoning. Indirect exposure can happen in two different ways. The first one occurs when the food is contaminated by poor pesticides and results in the food being altered in either taste or biological make up. The harm obviously comes from the biological make up as such alterations in the food can result in neurological, skeletal or other organ problems in humans. On the defence of pesticides, most pesticides are designed in a way to not in anyway effect the taste or other properties of the plant. (Benefits of Pesticides: A story worth telling, Purdue.edu). The other way that pesticides impact humans indirectly is through the environment. The problem with pesticides is they can sometimes be caught in the wind contaminating the air and also transported to nearby water sources. The contamination of the water and air can lead to distrarous effects on human health, especially in undeveloped regions whose water is already contaminated. People who live nearby farms are likely to suffer air contamination because the wind transports it in the air and is then breathed by the people. Another problem is contamination of the soil, which overtime damage or destroy the farming potential of the plot. In total the US spent 9.6 Billion dollars on human health and environmental cost from pesticides. (Pimentel, David. “Environmental and Economic Costs of the Application of Pesticides Primarily in the United States.”)
What are alternatives?
Alternatives to pesticides are available and include methods of cultivation, use of biological pest controls (such as pheromones and microbial pesticides), genetic engineering, and methods of interfering with insect breeding. Application of composted yard waste has also been used as a way of controlling pests. These methods are becoming increasingly popular and often are safer than traditional chemical pesticides. In addition, EPA is registering reduced-risk conventional pesticides in increasing numbers. Another important aspect of the alternatives is that studies have shown that they are equally, if not better, than traditional pesticides.
Personal Recommendation
I say that it is probably best to use the alternatives as the start up costs may be greater but in the end will save money greatly on health costs and also cause a better image for the farm or company.