Historical Trends In Pest Control Products
Since the development of agriculture many millennia ago, people have been searching for ways to keep various pests from destroying crops. Not only has pest removal been important for agriculture, there has also always been a desire to keep our houses free of annoying or potentially disease carrying pests. For the better part of human history, pest control has typically been plagued by trial and error. Often at least in recent history making use of dangerous or damaging chemicals whose unwanted side effects weren't fully understood until it was far too late. Because of the nature of pests who take up residence among other harmless animals and plants, there is a delicate balancing act involved in removing the unwanted insects without harming the beneficial or harmless insects that live in proximity. Despite the rocky nature of the pest control industry's recent past, there have been numerous beneficial developments in the past few decades in safer and more selective pest control products.
The first major development in chemical pest control was the discovery in the late 1930s of the pesticide DDT. It was hailed at first as a wonder chemical that would revolutionize the eradication of pests that had caused numerous problems throughout human history. Although it did have many desirable effects such as reducing the spread of malaria carrying mosquitos and increasing crop yields, it came with a rather high price. Over the first few decades of its use as an insecticide it caused grave damage to the environment wherever it was applied. In addition it was found to be a strong carcinogen when a person was exposed to a large dose or over a significant period of time. The discovery of DDT's deleterious effects led to a complete ban on its use in most developed nations during the 1960s and 1970s. The ban has had its desired effect on cleaning the environment however it left a significant void in the market for pest control products.
This void has led to many companies that manufacture chemicals for pest control to innovate and discover new and much safer chemicals that are equally effective and approved for use among virtually all environments and eco-systems. Most pesticides that have been developed since the ban on DDT are formulated to act solely on the nervous system of insects, without the unintended effects on humans or other mammals. This drive to invent and manufacture new pest control products has resulted in numerous choices available in the market that are far safer and as effective as the earlier generations. Although progress has been made, there are certain problems that must still be faced, such as the fact that many pesticides are still dangerous for certain types of beneficial insects and fish, despite their lower overall toxicity. In addition, there are signs that some targeted insects are becoming resistant to the new classes of insecticides over time. This will certainly mean that there will always be a need for innovation in the pest control industry, as old products are phased out and new ones take their place.
About the Author
As an expert, Whitney writes articles on various types of pest control. Learn more about professional pest control products that can be implemented as your own DIY pest control such as stink bug traps and more.
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