DDT in the United States

DDT in Environmental Law

An acronym for dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, an extremely toxic pesticide that was widely used from 1939 to the early 1970s. At the time it was developed, it was considered a valuable tool for agriculture. But problems with DDT use slowly became apparent. Because it accumulates in fatty tissues of wildlife and breaks down slowly, DDT passes through the food chain easily. It is also highly toxic to fish and birds. By causing eggshells to thin, DDT brought some species of birds to the brink of extinction.

The use of DDT was banned in the United States by administrative order in 1971 and in Europe later in the 1970s. However, developing countries are still using it because they can obtain it elsewhere. In some countries, the levels of DDT in human tissue and mother’s milk is far above the acceptable levels. Even in the United States, it persists in tissue of animals, fish and birds today, and is a common contaminant in groundwater. See also Carson, Rachel.
Based on “Environment and the Law. A Dictionary”.