by Dr. Jerome Goddard
Pesticides are indeed poisons. They are designed to kill things. But the EPA’s registration process, requiring many years of product testing and review, helps ensure that EPA registered products are safe when used according to their label directions. Millions of dollars are invested in testing pesticide products - before they ever reach the consumer - for their relative safety to humans and the environment. Prospective pesticides are tested for harmful effects to adults, children, the unborn as well as the environment.
Some people claim that pesticides are ruining the environment and causing wide-spread disease (such as cancer) in the human population. But were is the evidence? Wildlife is rebounding after years of decline. There are more deer and wild turkeys in the U.S. now than at the turn of the century. Raptors are back, people are healthier and living longer. We must be doing something right.
In my opinion, pesticides are extremely important to human survival. They are essentially “environmental medicines” to correct insect imbalances. Not only are they needed for crop protection, but as public health tools. We need a wide array of pesticides to combat vector born diseases that may arise or any reemergence of existing diseases (such as malaria, dengue, etc.)
Certainly integrated pest management and other strategies to reduce pesticide use are in order, but in many cases, insect populations explode and are unmanageable by non-chemical methods. We must have pesticides readily available for use.
Not only do we need a wide variety of them with various labeled uses. Even “older” generation pesticides such as organophosphates (OPs) - are needed. Pesticide resistance is developing to many of the newer synthetic pyrethroid compounds; keeping the OpPs and vector control personnel another option in managing/preventing insect resistance.
Furthermore, registrations for many pesticide uses are considered “minor” by EPA and chemical companies and thus, not much attention is paid to them. In fact, many of these minor uses are being dropped totally. Alternatively, even though a “public health” use may be allowed by the EPA for a particular pesticide, the pesticide is not available if the company decides (due to EPA review or anti pesticide group harassment) to quit making it. This concerns me. We need all legitimate pesticide registration to remain in effect as part of our repertoire of weapons against insect pests.
Dr. Jerome Goddard, medical entomologist, MS Dept. of Health and clinical assistant professor of preventative medicine at the University of MS Medical Center, Jackson, MS
Reprint permission given by AgAir Update, P.O. Box 850, Perry, GA 31069 - an international agricultural aviation publication.
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