Comments on: “The P.I.G. to Science”: Dioxin, DDT, and Half-Truths http://www.anthonares.net/2005/12/pig-to-science-dioxin-ddt-and-half.html Chronicling and Commenting on Human Progress Thu, 29 Jul 2010 12:08:24 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2 By: Matt http://www.anthonares.net/2005/12/pig-to-science-dioxin-ddt-and-half.html#comment-24814 Matt Thu, 26 Apr 2007 10:55:41 +0000 http://www.anthonares.net/2005/12/pig-to-science-dioxin-ddt-and-half.html#comment-24814 Hi, interesting stuff. I have a recollection from years back of my chem lecturer mentioning DDT was effectively harmless but that DDN the result of its breakdownin the environment was quite toxic. Does anyone know anything about this or is my mind just making it up. Cheers Matt Hi, interesting stuff. I have a recollection from years back of my chem lecturer mentioning DDT was effectively harmless but that DDN the result of its breakdownin the environment was quite toxic. Does anyone know anything about this or is my mind just making it up.

Cheers

Matt

]]> By: Brian http://www.anthonares.net/2005/12/pig-to-science-dioxin-ddt-and-half.html#comment-64 Brian Thu, 22 Dec 2005 01:03:00 +0000 http://www.anthonares.net/2005/12/pig-to-science-dioxin-ddt-and-half.html#comment-64 Thanks for the cite, Anthony! I can maybe track Edwards' material down, although not him (died last summer). Thanks for the cite, Anthony! I can maybe track Edwards’ material down, although not him (died last summer).

]]> By: Jim http://www.anthonares.net/2005/12/pig-to-science-dioxin-ddt-and-half.html#comment-63 Jim Wed, 21 Dec 2005 22:38:00 +0000 http://www.anthonares.net/2005/12/pig-to-science-dioxin-ddt-and-half.html#comment-63 Just found your interesting blog, and your review of The PIG to science. Mostly it looks good, but a couple of comments on the DDT chapter. The EPA banned DDT use in the United States, where there was no malaria. And there were exemptions for health emergencies and where no other pesticide worked. There never has been a ban as Bethell describes it. It is still used in some countries, and it is used in a manner (inside houses) that poses no threat to ecosystems. In many areas mosquitoes have developed resistance to DDT and other pesticides, but Bethell does not even mention it. This is a serious omission. Please visit my website, Info-pollution.com http://info-pollution.com Jim Norton Just found your interesting blog, and your review of The PIG to science. Mostly it looks good, but a couple of comments on the DDT chapter.

The EPA banned DDT use in the United States, where there was no malaria. And there were exemptions for health emergencies and where no other pesticide worked. There never has been a ban as Bethell describes it. It is still used in some countries, and it is used in a manner (inside houses) that poses no threat to ecosystems.

In many areas mosquitoes have developed resistance to DDT and other pesticides, but Bethell does not even mention it. This is a serious omission.

Please visit my website, Info-pollution.com
http://info-pollution.com

Jim Norton

]]> By: Anthony Kendall http://www.anthonares.net/2005/12/pig-to-science-dioxin-ddt-and-half.html#comment-62 Anthony Kendall Wed, 21 Dec 2005 14:42:00 +0000 http://www.anthonares.net/2005/12/pig-to-science-dioxin-ddt-and-half.html#comment-62 Brian, Another reader just emailed me to inform me that mosquitoes rather rapidly develop a resistance to DDT. Honestly, this wasn't even something I thought about in my review of the chapter. I guess I was guilty of accepting Bethell's claims with a bit too much credulity. Thank you for the timlambert.org site. Yeah, there is a quote by McCloskey, here it is: "The Sierra Club wants a ban on pesticides, even in countries where DDT has kept malaria under controll...[because by] using DDT we recue mortality rates in underdeveloped countires without the consideration of how to support the increase in populations." The source given is J. Gordon Edwards' book "Malaria, the Killer that Could Have Been Conquered." I always raise my at non-originial source citations like this one. Perhaps it is faked. Brian,
Another reader just emailed me to inform me that mosquitoes rather rapidly develop a resistance to DDT. Honestly, this wasn’t even something I thought about in my review of the chapter. I guess I was guilty of accepting Bethell’s claims with a bit too much credulity. Thank you for the timlambert.org site.

Yeah, there is a quote by McCloskey, here it is:
“The Sierra Club wants a ban on pesticides, even in countries where DDT has kept malaria under controll…[because by] using DDT we recue mortality rates in underdeveloped countires without the consideration of how to support the increase in populations.”
The source given is J. Gordon Edwards’ book “Malaria, the Killer that Could Have Been Conquered.” I always raise my at non-originial source citations like this one. Perhaps it is faked.

]]> By: Brian http://www.anthonares.net/2005/12/pig-to-science-dioxin-ddt-and-half.html#comment-61 Brian Wed, 21 Dec 2005 13:45:00 +0000 http://www.anthonares.net/2005/12/pig-to-science-dioxin-ddt-and-half.html#comment-61 I strongly suggest you read timlambert.org's discussion of DDT - short version is that the banning of widespread agricultural use saved lives, by reducing DDT resistance when used exclusively for malaria control. There's an alleged quote by Michael McCloskey in Bethell's book - do you know if it's in this chapter? I've been meaning to track down the book, but I suspect the quote is faked, like the Wurster quote. I strongly suggest you read timlambert.org’s discussion of DDT - short version is that the banning of widespread agricultural use saved lives, by reducing DDT resistance when used exclusively for malaria control.

There’s an alleged quote by Michael McCloskey in Bethell’s book - do you know if it’s in this chapter? I’ve been meaning to track down the book, but I suspect the quote is faked, like the Wurster quote.

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