殺蟲劑的污染

2000年04月27日

撰稿喬斯賽文；陳均輝譯；陳維立審校

全球各地每年使用的殺蟲劑數量高達41億英磅。
目前殺蟲劑的使用量是1945年時的30倍。
30%的農藥被認為是致癌的。
60%的除草劑被認為是致癌的。
90%的殺菌劑被認為是致癌的。
在28種最常用的殺蟲劑中就有23種被認為是致癌的。
據估計，美國每年約有兩萬名死於因食物上殘留的殺蟲劑而所導致的癌症。
據估計，發展中國家每年約有三百五十萬人因殺蟲劑使用不當而導致嚴重中毒。
據估計，約有九百種植物及昆蟲已經對殺蟲劑t產生抗藥性。

資料來源：
1-6 地球通訊辦公室；
7 國家科學委員會；
8 世界資源協會；
9 地球通訊辦公室

喬斯賽文目前居住於麻賽諸賽州（又稱麻省）的劍橋，他是麻省理工學院都市研究與計劃研究所的研究生，他曾擔任Greenwire環境新聞的編輯及美國新聞雜誌的研究員

版權歸屬 Grist Magazine

The Dirt on Pesticides

4.1 billion pounds of pesticides are used throughout the world each year.
30 times more pesticides are used today than were used in 1945.
30 percent of insecticides are believed to be carcinogenic.
60 percent of herbicides are believed to be carcinogenic.
90 percent of fungicides are believed to be carcinogenic.
23 of the 28 most commonly used pesticides are believed to be carcinogenic.
An estimated 20,000 cancer deaths each year in the U.S. are caused by pesticide residues on food.
An estimated 3.5 million cases of acute pesticide poisoning are caused each year in developing nations due to lack of protection during pesticide application.
An estimated 900 plant and insect species have built up resistances to pesticides.

-- by Josh Sevin

Sources:
1-6 -- Earth Communications Office;
7 -- National Academy of Sciences;
8 -- World Resources Institute;
9 -- Earth Communications Office.

Josh Sevin lives in Cambridge, Mass., where he is a graduate student in MIT's planning program. Previously, he was an editor at Greenwire environmental news service and a researcher for U.S. News.

原文詳見 http://www.gristmagazine.com/grist/counter/counter110399.stm