Though there is no conclusive evidence to date, several studies have indicated that
chemicals that imitate estrogen might cause reproductive problems in animals. For
example, one study found that male alligators exposed to pesticides in Florida are
having difficulty reproducing, partly because their penises are not developing to nor-
mal size. This reproductive interference could be related to exposure to estrogenic
pesticides. It also has been reported that some birds, fish, amphibians, and mammals
are being ‘‘feminized’’ by exposure to low levels of pesticides and other industrial
chemicals.^28
Pesticide Usage
Pesticides of various types are used in most sectors of the U.S. economy. In general
terms, a pesticide is any agent used to kill or control undesired insects, weeds,
rodents, fungi, bacteria, or other organisms. Thus, the term ‘‘pesticides’’ includes
insecticides, herbicides, rodenticides, fungicides, nematicides, and acaricides as well as
disinfectants, fumigants, wood preservatives, and plant growth regulators. Pesticides
play a vital role in controlling agricultural, industrial, home/garden, and public health
pests. Many crops, commodities, and services in the United States could not be sup-
plied in an economic fashion without controlling pests using chemicals or other
means. As a result, goods and services can be supplied at lower costs and/or with bet-
ter quality. As has been pointed out, these economic benefits from pesticide use are
not achieved without potential risks to human health and the environment due to
the toxicity of pesticide chemicals. For this reason, these chemicals are regulated
under federal or state pesticide laws to avoid unacceptable risks.
The EPA registers pesticides for use and requires manufacturers to label pesticides
about when and how to use them. It is important to remember that the ‘‘cide’’ in pes-
ticide means ‘‘to kill.’’ These products can be dangerous if not used properly.
Annual pesticide use in the United States equals about 8.8 pounds per capita, rela-
tively stable at roughly 2.2 billion pounds of active ingredients, according to an EPA
pesticide industry sales and usage report. According to the report, use of what are
considered ‘‘conventional pesticides’’ remains at about 1.1 billion pounds of active
ingredients, but the addition of wood preservatives and disinfectants pushes total pes-
ticide use to about 2.2 billion pounds of active ingredients. Pesticides are used on
more than 900,000 U.S. farms and in 69 million households, the report indicated,
while the herbicides atrazine and metolachlor are the two most widely used pesticides
in the country, at 70 million to 75 million pounds and 60 million to 65 million
pounds, respectively.^29
Three Major Groups of Conventional Pesticides
The first group consists of chlorinated hydrocarbons, also known as organochlo-
rines. These pesticides generally break down very slowly and can remain in the envi-
ronment for long periods of time. Dieldrin, chlordane, aldrin, DDT, and heptachlor
are pesticides of this type. The second group is known as organic phosphates or
The Pesticide Problem | 5