Reason Foundation

In the latest DDT news, the European Union is threatening Uganda over its plans to use DDT in its anti-malaria efforts:

"The European Union on Wednesday warned Uganda that its exports to Europe may suffer if it goes ahead with plans to use the controversial pesticide DDT to fight malaria. Unless proper safety measures are put in place, the spraying of DDT to kill malaria-carrying mosquitos could severely hurt Ugandan exports of fruit, produce and other flora to EU countries, officials said. "If Uganda is to use DDT for malaria control, it is advisable to do so under strictly controlled circumstances and in consultation with other countries in the region which may be affected," the EU said in statement released here. It said that if Kampala began DDT spraying, it would be forced to set up a monitoring system to test for the presence of the pesticide in exports. The chief of the EU mission in Uganda, Sigurd Illing, said there could be dire consequences for outgoing trade with Europe -- which accounts for more than 30 percent of Uganda's total exports -- if DDT was detected in such goods."

It's absolutely shameful to threaten the economic health of a country for its efforts to stop an illness that kills an estimated 70,000 of its citizens per year. It's also shameful that the writer of this article proceeded to regurgitate the anti-DDT party line without any counterweight on the other side. For more recent DDT news, see here, here and here. (hat tip: JunkScience.com)