Of all the toxic, man-made chemicals found in the environment, pesticides are probably the most widespread. These compounds are used on a large scale by farmers to keep insects from eating their crops and by the everyday suburbanite trying to keep his little patch of lawn as green as his neighbors.

We have the military to thank for the development of the first pesticides. These were derived from compounds such as agent orange and sarin gas. Originally, these chemicals were used as nerve gases, sprayed on enemy troops.

Scientists recognized that at really low doses, nerve gases wiped out insects, but did not seem to affect people or animals. The only problem is, when pesticides are sprayed in the environment they begin to build up and eventually reach toxic concentrations in our water supplies and in the tissues of animals, fish and people too. Over time, these toxins (some of which are carcinogenic) have negative affects on the animal or individual who has ingested them.

As you can imagine, it has been ha

rd to prove that long term, low dose exposures to pesticides cause cancer. It usually takes decades after the exposures for cancer to develop. However, over time, a solid case has been built linking pesticides with cancer and their use has been reduced. There is also an abundance of evidence showing that people who worked with certain pesticides and did not take appropriate precautions became gravely sick (examples; increase risk in worker's at DDT plants and farmers).

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