subject: Harm Caused By Pesticides and Their Overuse [print this page] Harm Caused By Pesticides and Their Overuse
The use of pesticides has become widespread across the globe over the years. The effect of their use is immediate in most cases, and this makes them indispensable in most households. However, there have been cases where pesticides have been over used, sometimes with life threatening effects. In agriculture, current trends rely heavily on their use. It is important to note that the use of pesticides can also be harmful to the environment. This is because nature has its own way of creating a balance in the ecosystem. Various countries have come up with rules and regulations regarding the use of pesticides, but nonetheless, cases are still there of their overuse. This study is aimed at establishing cases of over use and the harm resulting to it on both human persons and the environment. This will be done via the use of examples of persons and cases of harm on the environment in various places across the divide. It will explore the causes as well as the main solution to the problem.
Pesticides and the Causes of Overuse by Human Persons
Generally speaking, this word refers to those substances, made for the purposes of checking on the numbers of pests. Pests have been classified in various categories, and could include rodents, weeds, fungi, and even insects. There are two main groups of pesticides; those that made for the protection of he plants, as well as those with biocidal effects (Daly and Purcell 286). It is interesting to note that the human persons have become too dependent on chemicals as a solution to their problems; little consideration is made regarding the consequence of their use. If properly utilized pesticides can be helpful, although this is still debatable from the environmentalist point of view. The compounds in these chemicals are mostly harmful to the human persons, as well as the environment. As already indicated, these chemicals are produced with specific targets Daly and Purcell 286). However, it is important to note that over use can result in contamination of water, air or soil. The harm caused is usually as a result of contact of the chemical with the unintended targets. If such harm happens to water, it is likely to cause the loss of several marine lives. If such chemicals came into contact with food meant for human use, the effect can be catastrophic as well. The causes of over use of these chemicals are wide, ranging from ignorance to negligence (Daly and Purcell 286).
Ignorance
Most of the cases of overuse are often caused by lack of adequate information regarding the proper use of these chemicals. This may be due to the level of education of the user, but it could also be due to insufficient information provided by the manufacturer. In every country there are laws requiring the manufacturers to provide sufficient information regarding the use of pesticides. This information must be easy to understand, especially where the target market is persons with less educational base. The names of the compounds are often too complicated, and the users may not be in a position to understand their meaning. This means therefore, that the manufacturer has a duty o ensuring that the instructions are simplified for the users. This would greatly avoid the over use of such drugs, and with it the harm that can possibly arise from that use.
Negligence
As already mentioned, the manufacturers are required to publish important information regarding the use of these chemicals. However, the market led economies, as well as the ineffective or a lack of regulatory body, could be good motivations to the manufacturers to conceal some information in order to maximize their sales. This can be especially the case where the compounds used are restricted (Legg and Potier 1).
The users may know the importance of reading the instructions and deliberately choose not to do so. This results in the overuse of those chemicals. However, there is an even greater problem, which acts as a major cause of overuse of those drugs.
Mode of Application
On average, over ninety seven percent of the chemicals that are sprayed fall on targets that are not the intended ones. This could, as earlier indicated, water, air or soil; in some cases, even human beings. This is disheartening because, spraying is often the most effective way of controlling pests. Currently the levels of water and air pollution are very high, and the world has become even more aware of the effects of chemical use on the environment, with the most adverse effect being global warming (The European Commission 1). At present, there still is a lack of proper ways of determining the effects of smaller amounts of these chemicals on both the environment and the human beings.
Both the World Health Organization as well as the UNEP believes that there are more than three million persons who suffer poisoning in a severe way in the third world countries (McCauley 998). It is also believed that over twenty five million suffer poisoning in mild ways in these countries. Mostly these populations are persons working on farms. Several studies have been conducted to establish the effects of these chemicals on the farmers. The results seem to claim that diseases such as prostrate cancer, leukemia, as well as multiple myeloma may somehow be connected to over use of these drugs. Other problems that have direct association with over use of these chemicals include, pains in the abdomen, headaches, nausea and vomiting, dizziness , problems of the eyes, as well as problems of the skin. Long term effects may also include defects of fetuses as well as miscarriage. In extreme cases, deaths result (Legg and Potier 1). The main solution to the problem of over use of chemicals on the environment and people may be in the total abstinence from chemical use.
