Uganda's honey-export potential (dream?) has just gone up in smoke. DDT is
sure to be detected in honey, if it still in use.
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Subject: ugnet_: Uganda Has Gone Back To Deadly DDT- By E.A.
Katongole-Canada
Date: Wed, 27 Nov 2002 12:15:48 -0800 (PST)
LETTER TO THE NEW VISION EDITOR BY EMMANUEL ALLAN
KATONGOLE-MONTREAL-CANADA 27/11/2002
Uganda has gone back to deadly DDT!
MINISTER: Jim Muhwezi. Aware?
SIR� The willingness of Uganda�s health ministry to consider the
use of DDT to fight against mosquitoes/malaria is disturbing. It is
commendable to try and eliminate malaria; but at what cost? Perhaps the public
should be informed about the effects of DDT to decide for themselves. Here are
a few of the effects of DDT, according to the EPA:
l A human carcinogen that may cause non-Hodgkin�s lymphoma, breast
cancer, soft tissue sarcoma, Hodgkin�s disease, multiple myeloma pancreatic,
skin, lung or liver cancer. It degrades the immune system, among other
dangers.
l Reproductive effects: Potentially causes chromosomal aberrations,
interferes with the healthy balance of estrogen and testosterone, is passed in
breast milk to infants, shortens the duration of lactation in women, leads to
erectile dysfunction, causes feminisation in animal species, softens the
shells of bird eggs, and is an endocrine disrupter.
lAnd theses are just the known effects, what else it does, God only
knows!
DDT is an organo-chlorine compound that is extremely persistent in
the environment and has the unique property of concentrating in the fatty
tissue of mammals. When DDT gets into our bodies, it is stored primarily in
such fatty organs as the adrenals, testes, and the thyroid gland.
DDT has a devastating effect on birds and fish. The risks presented
by DDT need to be carefully weighed relative to the risk of controlling
malaria.
Canadian wildlife researchers in British Columbia have found that
even though DDT has not been used there for 40 years, DDT levels in bird's
eggs are higher than levels reported 20 years ago, which suggests that
although it is dangerous
to present generations,
it may be more devastating
to future generations.
Emmanuel Allan Katongole
Montreal, Canada
Published on: Wednesday, 27th November, 2002
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� Copyright The New Vision 2000-2002. All rights reserved.
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