Introduction
Pesticides are an inclusive term for rodenticides, fungicides, insecticides, herbicides, and nematicides. These compounds play a crucial role in boosting crop productivity and enabling farmers to achieve substantial yields with reduced land usage (Ali et al., 2021, p. 312). While they do help improve food security worldwide, the aftermath of their application is catastrophic.
The chemicals pose serious health issues such as cancer, impaired movement in fish, death of indigenous trees and shrubs, killing beneficial microorganisms in the soil, contaminating soil, ground, and surface water, and polluting the air (Buck et al., 2020; de Solla et al., 2023; Hao et al., 2021). As such, one pressing question is whether the government should ban large-scale use, given research indicating that the problems they cause can be short-term, acute, or chronic (de Souza et al., 2020, p. 23). In this light, the government should ban the large-scale use of pesticides and herbicides because pesticides negatively impact human and animal health and contaminate the surface, groundwater, soil, vegetation, and air, translating to health issues in non-target organisms and the death of beneficial soil microorganisms.
Arguments Against Pesticides
Health Risks
Pesticides primarily harm human and animal health when inhaled or ingested. An analysis of day-to-day logistics shows that several people are affected by the handling and transportation of the chemicals (Ali et al., 2021, p. 325). Farmers, production workers, formulators, and sprayers risk health issues without appropriate protective gear. These health effects include disruption of endocrine function, reduced problems, impaired cognition, hormonal imbalances, and immune suppression (Ali et al., 2021, para. 325). Animals, on the other hand, are differently affected by these chemicals.
For example, the case of birds where they are affected by DDT pesticides, which cause reduced eggshell thickness (Hao et al., 2021, p. 401). Analysis shows that over 60% of health issues resulting from pesticide residues in animals can be transferred to humans through consumption (Ali et al., 2021, p. 316). A similar analysis conducted in Northern Tenerife showed abundant traces of DDE chemicals, such as polychlorinated biphenyls, in the eggshells of Kestrels (Hao et al., 2021, p. 404). This is an indication of the danger they pose to current and future generations.
Soil, Water, and Air Contamination
Secondly, pesticides contaminate ground and surface water over time. Since the chemicals in these pesticides do not readily degrade, they end up in water bodies through evaporation, runoff, and precipitation. Analysis of surface water shows that the various types of these chemicals differ in concentration, with insecticides and herbicides being the most common (Ali et al., 2021, p. 313). Statistically, 70 % of rivers in America contain two or more mixtures of harmful chemicals from pesticides (Stackpoole et al., 2021, p. 2).
Furthermore, more than 221 pesticide compounds have been identified in these drinking sources. Of that number, 21 include transformation products, and 143 are from significant compounds such as organochlorines (Buck et al., 2020, p. 3; Stackpoole et al., 2021, p. 7). According to Bexfield et al. (2020), approximately 41% of US wells also register traces of these chemicals (p. 365). Heavy use of these chemicals in agriculture has caused some rivers to reach concentrations approaching the unacceptable limit set by the US government (USGS, 2020). Such extremities lead to the death of aquatic life and even translate to critical conditions such as infertility and malformation.
Moreover, the persistent chemicals found in pesticides pollute the streams and the soil where they are used. These chemicals penetrate deeper into the soil through runoff and accumulate as they are continuously applied in such areas (Bexfield et al., 2020). In the long run, they alter the soil’s composition by reacting with its natural chemicals, thereby changing the chemical environment.
According to Ali et al. (2021), in a similar study, several chemicals with such properties include endrin, heptachlor, DDT, and lindane. They are very persistent and difficult to clean up, as in some cases pesticides leave traces of heavy metals in the soil, which are absorbed by plants and eventually consumed by animals and humans (Buck et al., 2020, p. 4). Investigations by Hao et al. (2021) show that the effects typically include reduced soil respiration, averaging 25%, rendering such land unfit for agriculture or highly dependent on nutrient supplementation. Reversing such conditions is usually challenging, resulting in the wastage of land that could otherwise be productive.
Another point to consider is that chemicals can contaminate unintended air, vegetation, and water when used indiscriminately. According to Ali et al. (2021), during the application of these chemicals, some quantities (approximately 25%) are lost due to drifting (p. 324). This is because 70 to 90%of these chemicals, such as ester-formulated pesticides, are volatile and can easily find their way into other areas uncontrollably (Ali et al., 2021, p. 324).
Therefore, on average, 80% of the chemicals contaminate the environment (Ali et al., 2021, p. 324). A good example shown by Stackpoole et al. (2021) is the case of phenoxy herbicides, which clear and kill shrubs and trees. Another good example is glyphosate, which is known to reduce seed quality over time. Consequently, about 75 enlisted plants could go extinct if the continued use of glyphosate is permitted (Ali et al., 2021, p. 325). Ultimately, the compounds remain a significant threat to the environment and vegetation.
In addition, toxic levels of chemicals affect non-target organisms. For instance, animals that consume water containing such compounds are often affected, with river dolphins facing extinction threats due to their use (Buck et al., 2020, p. 3). Trifluralin, a commonly used herbicide, is also responsible for vertebral deformities observed in some fish cases (Buck et al., 2020, p. 4).
Insects and birds have also become prey to unintended chemical traps intended to kill rodents, such as rats and rabbits, on farms. Analysis of researchers’ data shows a significant reduction in insect biomass of up to 70% (Ali et al., 2021, p. 317). Consequently, pollination in fields has reduced the population of pollination bees by 30% (Ali et al., 2021, p. 320). Therefore, if no appropriate measures are taken to minimize or stop the use of pesticides, the population of some species will be significantly reduced.
Soil Degradation
Undoubtedly, pesticides degrade soil fertility on a large scale. This is because some chemicals in pesticides kill and inhibit the growth of living microorganisms that play an active role in decomposition (Göldel, 2020, p. 8). In some cases, as in nitrogen-fixing plants, converting nitrogen to nitrates is impossible because chemicals such as organochlorines disrupt the nitrogen conversion process by killing these beneficial microorganisms (de Souza et al., 2020, p. 23).
Concurrently, the discriminatory use of chemicals, such as glyphosate, reduces the activity and growth of nitrogen-fixing bacteria (de Souza et al., 2020, p. 23). Similarly, herbicides and pesticides can kill mycorrhizal fungi, leading to the death of nitrogen-fixing bacteria (Hao et al., 2021, p. 402). Mycorrhizal fungi help uptake nutrients in plants during absorption as they live within the roots of a plant (de Souza et al., 2020, p. 22).
Another example is triclopyr, which reduces pore formation in fungi. When triclopyr is used with Trifluralin and oryzalin, mycorrhizal growth and reproduction are inhibited, causing depopulation (de Souza et al., 2020, p. 27). Heavy pesticide treatment of soil can disrupt the natural microbial community, eliminating many organisms.
Additionally, research has shown that metal ion deterioration in the soil is a severe problem (de Souza et al., 2020; Bexfield et al., 2020). This condition results from the depletion of vital soil metals, such as zinc and manganese, and is known to be due to chelation and ligand binding (de Souza et al., 2020). This is because pesticides have chelating effects and interact with other freely available metal ions in the soil. Consequently, analysis shows that zinc, copper, nickel, iron, magnesium, and manganese ions can react with thiocyanatemethyl, carbofuran, acephate, and carbofuran (de Souza et al., 2020, p. 25). When they react with these chemicals, their composition in the soil is altered, leading to the formation of new compounds that affect soil richness.
Counterarguments and Rebuttal
Despite these drawbacks, opponents argue that pesticides have improved food security in the United States and worldwide. A scrutiny of worldwide statistics on hunger shows that an increasing number of people lack access to adequate food (Ali et al., 2021, p. 312). The argument is further supported by research by de Souza et al. (2020), who assert that the use of herbicides and insecticides has contributed to reductions in vector populations that transmit crop diseases from one plant to another.
Indeed, for crops to grow successfully, they face stiff competition from over 30,000 weeds, 10,000 crop-feeding insects, and over 3,000 worms (Bexfield et al., 2020, p. 362). These challenges do not end in the field as they continue after harvesting. Rodents, molds, and bugs threaten harvested crops during storage. Since crops cannot survive on the basis of the survival of the fittest, killing competitive weeds, worms, insects, and other animals on the farm is the most appropriate measure; hence, the need for large-scale pesticides.
Nonetheless, the above-discussed argument seems plausible at first, but it does not hold, as the demerits outweigh the merits, with more effective and less harmful alternatives also available. Natural and organic pest control methods can replace pesticides on and off the farm, such as crop rotation, natural predators, homemade organic repellants, companion planting, manure, and physical barriers (Göldel, 2020, p. 1). Adopting such organic and natural ways is beneficial in both the long- and short-term.
Naturally, crop rotation improves soil structure and composition, helps mitigate pests and diseases, preserves moisture, and improves the soil’s water-holding capacity. Manure, an alternative to synthetic fertilizers, can quickly replenish nutrients such as phosphorus, nitrogen, and others without leaving toxic residues (Göldel, 2020, p. 3). Similarly, herbicides can be replaced with mowing, grazing, fire, tillage, or hand removal.
Besides, companion planting has been used for some time. It cannot be considered new (Göldel, 2020, p. 10). Fundamentally, the phenomenon requires that beneficial plants, which may provide shade, nutrients, or protection against disease or pests, be grown together to support one another. The same concept works similarly to using natural predators as enemies to help control pest populations.
Consequently, managing pests requires keeping their natural enemies close, such as using plant-eating insects around farms (Göldel, 2020, p. 7). These methods are beneficial when effectively implemented and provide valid proof that alternatives to synthetic pesticides exist. Nonetheless, thorough research and development of organic and natural pesticides is needed.
Conclusion
In conclusion, banning the large-scale use of pesticides will help control most of their negative impacts, both short- and long-term. To summarize, the paper has analyzed the impacts of pesticides on animal and human health, plants, the environment, soil-dwelling microorganisms, and aquatic life, as well as on surface and groundwater contamination. On the one hand, results show that pesticides degrade human and animal health and destroy soil fertility on a large scale. Additionally, toxic chemicals affect non-target organisms and contaminate unintended air, vegetation, and water bodies when used indiscriminately. Lastly, they also contaminate ground and surface water over prolonged periods.
On the other hand, pesticides have benefits, such as providing food security through maximizing the use of small land and killing competitive weeds, worms, rodents, and insects. Nevertheless, this does not warrant their use, as they can be replaced with natural and organic pest and disease control methods, such as crop rotation and physical barriers. Harmful pesticides should be banned, as these alternatives have few side effects and can provide both short- and long-term benefits.
References
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