Pesticides as Environmental Pollutants: A review of health and environmental impacts pose by continuous use of cyclodienes in developing countries

Pesticides have been very effective in controlling disease-causing organisms, insects, weeds, and other pests. Characterised by a high toxicity to target species, pesticides may also be toxic, to a various degree, to non-target species, including human beings. Of major concern around the world are the organochlorine (such as cyclodienes) pesticides due to their severe toxicity, persistence and bioaccumulation. Thus their production, usage and disposal have been controlled or banned in most developed countries. However, they are still used in many developing countries. This paper examined why farmers and general public in developing countries continue to use these toxic organochlorine pesticides despite the resulting adverse effects associated with such practice. This research discovered that lack of strict regulations, poverty, ignorance, political instability and lack of economic and political commitments are among the factors responsible for this trend. The research further recommends that governments in the affected countries should adopt strict regulatory measures, educate farmers and the general public and restrict the availability of toxic cyclodienes

Author(s): Abubakar Abdulhamid

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