ST Alpha - "And the outright bans killed millions of people, who consequently died of malaria and the like as a result." (Reading a Post)

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In response to "it was killing off all sorts of birds and things that eat birds. -- nm" by Andie

And the outright bans killed millions of people, who consequently died of malaria and the like as a result.

Posted by ML (aka Iadodger) Jan 28 '16, 11:21

I will concede that the science fairly shows DDT was being overused. But the dose makes the poison, and there's no reason not to use DDT carefully and sparingly to fight mosquitoes and other disease-carrying insects (as they do in some Asian and African countries today). The wholesale bans pushed by Carson were overwrought and based on claptrap science.

Responses:

It's still used in many many places and is specifically allowed for malaria treatment, although it's in large part ineffective because of resistance. -- nm* - Reagen Jan 28, 11:30 4
- The effectiveness of DDT is typically measured in months in an area where it's used. -- (link) - Reagen Jan 28, 11:39 2
  - (A) I love that a site called mosquitoreviews.com exists (B) I'll just link to the Wiki on resistance -- (link) - ML Jan 28, 11:41 1
    - To me it's on par with antibiotic resistance - Reagen Jan 28, 11:56
- I don't know about many, many--but yes, it is only allowed to be used for disease vector control purposes under the Stockholm Convention. - ML Jan 28, 11:39

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And the outright bans killed millions of people, who consequently died of malaria and the like as a result.

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