DDT
Ban DDT Use Globally Today!
By: Rebecca Hall
Category:
DDT is a chemical water pollutant. Runoff from areas treated with DDT can cause negative ecosystem damage and can cause damage to the aquatic life of the water that it flows to.
Sources/Locations of DDT:
Humans can be exposed to DDT through the following methods:
- Contaminated fish and shellfish
- Infants: breast milk
- Consuming imported food that has been directly contaminated with DDT
- Consuming crops grown in directly contaminated soil
Problems Caused:
Health problems caused by DDT include:
Environmental problems caused by DDT include:
- Probable human carcinogen
- Liver damage
- Temporary nervous system damage
- Reduced reproductive success
- Liver cancer
- Reproductive system damage
http://www.epa.gov/pbt/pubs/ddt.htm
Environmental problems caused by DDT include:
- Species extinction
- Animal reproductive damage
- Toxicity to amphibians
- Severe effects through biomagnification
http://www.fws.gov/contaminants/info/ddt.html
Residence Time:
The exact residence time of DDT is not known. However, it is believed to be several years.
Possible Treatments:
Possible treatments include banning DDT in the United States and reducing the use of DDT in foreign nations.