Sustainability 11/6/17

Pollution and Pesticides

Early Steps:
1988: Rivers & Harbors Act
1st Federal Environmental Law
Made it a misdemeanor to discharge refuse into a navigable water or its
tributary
Teddy Roosevelt
National Parks
Antiquities Act
FDRs Public Works Programs
Soil Conservation Service (1935)
Pittman-Robertson Act/Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act (1937)

Post-WWII Era
Baby Boom
Suburban settlement
Development of chemicals
Synthetic replacements for all kinds of materials
Pesticides
Plastics and throwaway culture
Plastics shipments in the 40s: about 6 millions pounds
In 2000: about 30 billions pounds
Post-War industrial boom

1960s Experience
Social/Political Change
Expansion of Federal Government Programs in many areas
Smog became a huge problem, it killed people

Toxins in the Environment

Since the 1940s over 80,000 synthetic chemicals have been introduced into the
market. The EPA has only been able to require testing on 2% of them.

Pesticides are the only chemicals intentionally added to the environment to kill
living things.
-cide from Latin for to kill

Pesticide kills a pest

Insecticide kills insects
Herbicide kills plants
Fungicide kills fungi
Rodenticide kills rodents
Pesticides are particularly toxic to bees, fish and other aquatic life, and birds

Biomagnification

Just because it has a label, is advertised, and is sold in a store does not mean that it is
safe.

Childrens behavior makes them more vulnerable to pesticides

Children:
Put hands and toys in their mouths; Crawl and play on the lawn; Have more contact
with pets, which may have pesticides on their fur

Childrens developing bodies make them more vulnerable to pesticides

Exposure at a critical period of development can result in permanent damage.
Childrens livers, kidneys, and other detoxification systems are not fully developed.
Pesticides last longer in their bodies, doing more damage.

Precautionary Principal
When there is evidence that an activity may threaten human healthy or the
environment, precautionary measures should be taken, and the full range of
alternatives must be considered.
Core Concepts:
Decision makes need to anticipate potential harm. Burden of proof is on the
proponent of an activity to prove it will not cause significant harm.
Proportionality between risks and costs and benefits.