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Saturday, September 16, 2006

DDT is back in Africa

The World Health Organization has announced it will use DDT to help stop the spread of malaria in Africa. The reason for the reintroduction is the sheer death toll on Africa's young: estimated at one million a year. The WHO plans to spray DDT not in fields but in living quarters.

DDT became a pariah when books like Silent Spring (somewhat faultily) depicted health and environmental damages caused by the pesticide. To minimize environmental damages the WHO will only spray indoors and not on agricultural fields.

In a land where AIDS and political corruption are killing millions; DDT is a necessary thing to save lives and build stability. Three cheers for the WHO!

Category: Physical Geography

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