Argument
GE and pesticides.
Risk and benefit analysis should be considered in determining what pesticides should and should not be used in our nation. This reminds us of October 1986 when the United States Environmental Protection Agency(EPA) banned the use of the nitrophenolic herbicide dinoseb. This pesticide had side effects like causing cancer, damage of the immunize system, sterility and had diverse ecological effects by contaminating underground water . However, six months later, the pesticide was reintroduced and was legally available to be used in crops in Northwestern United States. In the understanding of such a move, it is important to determine that a chemical poses serious threat to the environment and to the health. Therefore, it is important to constantly review the legislations that govern the regulation process of pesticides.
To evaluate risks EPA requires the registrant to give an extensive data on chronic and acute toxicity to human as well as data on behavior of pesticides in the environment. Estimated benefits of pesticides should be based on far less rigorous data requirements than estimated health and environmental risks. Estimated benefits of pesticides on the other hand are based on rigorous data requirements. Genetic engineering is all about creation of plants, animals and microorganism by scientists through the manipulation of genes in a way that could not occur in the natural process or through traditional cross-breeding technique.crops and animal breeds are designed in a way that they will survive application in specific pesticides and herbicides. And once released , the organism that are genetically modified will spread through interbreeding and naturally with natural organisms.
This contaminates the non GE environment and the future generation of plants in an intolerable and unforeseen way. GE will cause environmental risk to the ecosystem and threaten biodiversity, sustainable agriculture and wildlife. Genetic engineering are powerful tools of value of pests management but should be used together with autotrophic interactions in a way that countermoves within the system. The pesticides should not be used alone because it is prone to naturalization in the resistance to pesticides (Lewis et al., 1997, p 243-248). To avid health and environmental risks we should not therefore use GE and Pesticides considered to have high risks to the ecosystem and to human beings.
Reference
Lewis, W. J.; van Lenteren, J. C.; Phaatak, S. C.; Tumlinson, J. H. (1997) A Total System Approach to Sustainable Pest Management, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, p 243-248.
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