Silent Spring

The Importance of DDT

How could Rachel Carson have known about the possible toxic effects of DDT and other widely used pesticides? Rachel Carson had gathered a lot of facts concerning pesticide use during the period that it was used most so she had a lot of information to work with. And just as importantly she was extremely passionate about the subject matter.

Things have moved on since the 1960’s. DDT is still been manufactured but at a fraction of the rate it was produced at its peak in the mid 20th century. Unfortunately, its production is on the increase as large economic powerhouses like India and China continue to manufacture the pesticide for their own use and for export. The United States and most of Europe have banned the use of DDT.
The effectiveness and the impact of DDT cannot be denied. It was one of the chemicals that made America ‘the food basket of the world’. DDT has possibly saved tens of millions of lives. Killing pests that would have otherwise killed Man. In the third world DDT has saved the lives of millions of children, killing pests like mosquito’s that are the main vectors of malarial disease. The usefulness and effectiveness of DDT is undeniable.

Rachel Carson did not seek a complete ban on all chemicals. What she wanted was better control and better regulation of its use. She was aware that we couldn’t afford to use pesticides such as DDT indiscriminately, there was only so much that the environment could absorb. By using synthetic chemicals like DDT what we were doing was adding this chemical to the biosphere, integrating it into Nature and inadvertently incorporating it into our bodies. It was easy to fall prey to the short-term benefits of DDT. Its effectiveness was clear to see, however, its deep potential to disrupt the proper internal workings of living systems could be more damaging than any benefits we could reap from its use.

Our current position is a dangerous one. We know that chemicals like DDT are toxic, but we’re hesitant to completely ban its use because it saves lives now, in the present. This short-term acceptance is a risky affair because chemicals like DDT are been absorbed by Nature. DDT is slowly building up within the fat deposits of complex animals. The amounts are still very minute but these small amounts are accumulating. Already, we’re beginning to see the consequences of the build-up of chemicals in Nature but chemicals are such an integral part of modern day economies. It seems that we’re not going to act until something drastic occurs and by then it might be too late.

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Silent Spring