Pesticides

1. Pesticides Eilish Medland

2. Table of Content • Quick History on Pesticides • Pros of Pesticides • Pesticides Impact on the Environment • Pesticide Impact on Humans • David Suzuki’s Opinion • My Opinion

3. History of Pesticides • Pesticides were created to help keep insects and pests away from plants • Pesticides were first used in early 1947 • However, it wasn’t until 1948 that pesticides became more common when Dr. Paul Muller was awarded the Nobel Prize for its discovery.

4. History of Pesticides • In the 1960’s information about the negative impacts of pesticides were published. • A marine biologist, Rachel Carson wrote a book called “Silent Spring” that explained the dangers of pesticides. • Rachel Carson was one of the first people to speak out about the dangers of pesticides • Rachel Carson was a huge leader in starting the environmental movement around pesticides • Her book was one of the first influential pieces of evidence to show the dangers of pesticides. Which later lead to the ban of one of the most harmful chemical in pesticide known as, DDT

5. Pros of Pesticides • An effective way of keeping bugs out of plants and flowers • Studies have shown that pesticide use has helped save people from contracting malaria, yellow fever, the black plague and typhoid. • Pesticides are a successful business to get into. Its been known in the United States as a “$50 billion dollar business”

6. When Pesticides are released into the air they break down in the ground and water- and the chemicals stay long term.

7. Pesticides Impact on the Environment • When pesticides are sprayed into plants – they are admitted into the air where they travel and land in fruits and vegetables. • When this happens, our fruits and vegetables can be infected • This is why it’s always important to rinse your food before eating it.

8. Pesticides Impact on Frogs • One of the most popular pesticides known as Atrazine contains a chemical that studies have shown is changing male frogs adult lives • One in 10 male frogs are turning into females, according to a new study by University of California, biologists. • Frogs exposed to pesticides have an increased chance of being born with birth defects • Example; being born with multiple legs.

9. Health Impacts From Pesticides • Pesticides can enter a persons body through three different ways • Through the lungs • Mouth • Through the skin • When people are exposed to pesticides they either experience long term health impacts or short term • If people don’t read the instructions on how to use pesticides they can experience burning, stinging or itching of eyes, nose, throat and skin. Other acute symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, wheezing, coughing and headache.

10. Pesticide Impact on the Reproductive System • Studies have shown that farmers who work with pesticides have an increased chance of fertility problems • In Ontario, there has been an increased rate of sudden miscarriages among women farmers. This is due to over exposure to specific chemicals in pesticides such as glyphosate, the carbamate insecticide carbaryl and phenoxy acid herbicides.

11. Health Impacts of Pesticides • The World Health Organization and the UN Environment Program estimated that every year, 3 million workers in agriculture industry experience severe poisoning from pesticides • An estimated18,000 of those 3 million workers die due to effects of long term pesticide poison.

12. What David Suziuki has to say! • “ Insects...are the most important component of the ecosystem, an integral part of the food chain...without insects the vast majority of flowering plants would not be able to reproduce. A miniscule fraction of this huge group of animals are pests to human beings….spraying powerful poisons that kill all exposed insects is no more ‘management’ of pest than killing everyone in New York city would be managing urban crime.” David Suzuki – The folly of Chemical Pest Control

13. My Opinion • In my opinion pesticides are going to be used regardless of what facts surface around them. They should be used with extreme caution- even the pesticides that are well known to not be a big deal. Pesticides contain harmful chemicals that are changing the environment and a risk to people’s health. It’s important to use pesticides properly and research what pesticides can do to our ecosystem and our bodies.

14. Bibliography • Sanders, Robert. "Pesticide Atrazine Can Turn Male Frogs into Females." News Centre. Media Relations, 10 Mar. 2010. Web. 22 May 2012. <http://newscenter.berkeley.edu/2010/03/01/frogs/>. • "The Truth about Pesticides." Sierra Club of Canada. Sierra Club of Canada, n.d. Web. 22 May 2012. <http://www.sierraclub.ca/national/programs/health-environment/pesticides/pesticide-truth.html>. • Murls, Patricia. "A. History of Pesticide Use." Oregon State University, 22 Oct. 2012. Web. 20 May 2012. <http://people.oregonstate.edu/~muirp/pesthist.htm>. • Unsworth, John. "History of Pesticide Use." International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry. N.p., 10 May 2010. Web. 20 May 2013. <http://agrochemicals.iupac.org/index.php?option=com_sobi2&sobi2Task=sobi2Details&catid=3&sobi2Id=31> • "Health & Environmental Effects of Pesticides." N.p., n.d. Web. 22 May 2013. <http://www.toronto.ca/health/hphe/pdf/ps_effects.pdf>. • "Pros and Cons of Pesticides." Pros and Cons of Pesticides. McDaniel Biology, n.d. Web. 24 May 2013. <http://www2.mcdaniel.edu/Biology/eh01/pesticides/pro,consof_pesticides.html>.