Pesticides: The Silent Killers 

Pesticides are harmful to society and the environment.  Short-term exposure to a large amount of certain pesticides can cause poisoning to humans (Hsaio).  The effects of long-term exposure to small amounts of pesticides is unknown, but they have been linked to many chronic health conditions (Hsaio).  Possible effects include, cancer, diabetes, and damage to the endocrine, neurological, nervous system, and reproductive systems (Hsaio).  Pesticides have also been linked to allergies, birth defects, and Alzheimer’s disease (Marie).  25 of the most common pesticides have detrimental side effects to humans who come in contact with them (Marie).  Six pesticides disrupt normal hormonal functions, ten harm the reproductive organs, and 17 cause genetic damage, five harm the nervous system, and 18 harm the skin, eyes, and lungs (Marie).   One half of pesticides are carcinogens (Marie).   This means that they are substances capable of causing cancer in living organisms.  Many pesticides kill a pest directly, thus resulting in negative effects to those who work with them, such as farmers (Hsaio). Another pesticide related issue the world faces is chlordane.  Chlordane was used to treat homes, crops, and gardens for termites in 1948 (Marie).  In 1983, the USDA banned chlordane because of concern of damage to the environment and human health (Marie).  The problem with chlordane is that it doesn’t decompose (Marie).  Because of this property and society’s excessive use of chlordane, it polluted about half of the world (Marie).    Although much of the left over pollution is in China’s soil, samples from Yosemite National Park, U.S.A. are contaminated with chlordane (Marie).  Japanese scientists found that 10% of the chlordane toxins still remained in coffee beans even after they were roasted (Marie).  When one ingests pesticides, they are stored in the colon and build up, causing disease (Marie).