Shannon,
DDT usage in the US is banned but it is not a total ban, It can be used for certain vector uses such as to suppress fleas for bubonic plague,mosquito control for Malaria among others and control of body lice. The use of DDT for vector control is promoted by the World Health Organization (WHO). DDT can still legally be manufactured in the U.S., but it can only be sold to, or used by, foreign countries. In the U.S. the only exceptions for DDT use are for public health emergencies involving vector (insect) diseases.
DDT was manufactured in the US almost 20 years after its usage was banned. Mexico has not manufactured DDT since the late 1990's, the only country in the world that still manufactured DDT is India, China ceased production in 2007.
Those articles do not say that Mexico still uses DDT, what they do say: DDT stays in the ecosystem for a extremely long time. It is in the the water, the soil, the plants, and anything that eats the plants or animals that graze on the plants, drinks or swims in the water. DDT has a Half life of 30 years in the soil and about 10 years Half life in humans. The half-life of DDT in an aquatic environment is about 150 years. In the United States, these chemicals were detected in almost all human blood samples tested by the Centers for Disease Control in 2005. If the US is still showing contamination 30+ years after banning DDT, you can be assured that Mexican soil, water, Ag products and people will show contamination until at least the 2030's - 2040's, depending upon how heavily it was applied maybe much longer.
Some facts and interesting reading:
Terrance
--- In CHICKENS-101@yahoogroups.com, "shannon nelson" wrote:
>
> The message you sent with several sites that tell about DDT .... the first one said that Mexico had Stopped using DDT Ten years back .
>
> Shannon
