Chemical Weapons on Your Food

Pesticides have been around for thousands of years, starting with sulfur, which was used to control bacteria and mold, around 1000 BC. Then, arsenic, not known at the time for its severe health impacts to humans, was used as a herbicide in the 1800s. These first-generation pesticides were often highly toxic compounds, and eventually were recognized as being too dangerous or ineffective for sustained application. Their commercial use in agriculture was minimized and outlawed as a result.

By the 1930s, there was a push to produce more and more food as the population had hit 2 billion and was showing no signs of slowing. Though it took over 120 years to go from a global population of 1 billion to 2 billion, there were only 33 years between the 2nd and 3rd billion. Consequently, with this rapid increase in demand for food, there was a scientific push to increase yields through innovative crop care and protection. German chemists discovered organophosphates during World War II. Intended for use as a chemical weapon, these compounds were kept secret during the war. After the war, they were repurposed as insecticides. Then came DDT. DDT is a synthetic compound synthesized by humans. These pesticides became hugely popular due to these benefits:

• Broad Spectrum: toxic to a wide range of pests, but thought to be safe for mammals
• Persistent: remained effective in the environment and required infrequent applications
• Water Insoluble: unaffected by rain, allowing for infrequent application requirements
• Inexpensive: cheap to buy and easy to use

These types of synthetic pesticides grew increasingly popular and were used to control mosquitoes in public, residential areas and delouse soldiers in WWII. However, there are immense health risks to continued use. DDT accumulates in body fat and the environment for generations! Nowadays, there are still reports of people with high DDT levels in their body, as well as traces found in soil and water samples.

Though plant-based pesticides have been around since the 1600s, they have not always been considered effective enough when considering cost or application. However, due to the destruction of the environment and the degradation of human health associated with synthetic chemicals, this is quickly changing. Without a focus on naturally derived pesticides, we will continue to produce synthetic chemicals that solve the global food security issue, supporting the rapid increase of our populations, but without proper knowledge and understanding of the severe health or environmental consequences. Instead of risking your future, support natural biopesticides, like neem.