INTRODUCTION - Agrochemical and Pesticide Safety - page 5

weeds, fungi, rodents and other pests without harming desired plants,
beneficial insects, wildlife, and, most important, humans.

Chemicals that control rats are termed rodenticides. The first effective
compound was warfarin. It was developed by the Wisconsin Alumni Research
Foundation in 1944. It functions as an anticoagulant in human medicine.
However, when used against rats and mice, at high concentrations it is
extremely effective, causing death by internal hemorrhaging.

In 1962 The Silent Spring , written by Rachel Carson, was published.
Carson's topic was one of the first that attracted national attention to the
problems of toxic chemicals and the effects of these chemicals on the
environment. The Silent Spring recounted how the residues of the pesticide
DDT could be found throughout the food chain. In aquatic birds, high levels
of DDT were associated with reduced fertility. DDT affected the deposition of
calcium in avian ovaries, leading to egg shells too thin to survive, thus
causing a widespread reduction in many bird species.

The Silent Spring and other topics on the dangers of pesticides have served
to illustrate that great efforts must be taken to prevent the misuse of pesticides
and other chemicals. It is this misuse, overuse, and improper disposal that
causes many of the problems that have been reported.

Recently, man has made great advances in the genetic manipulation of
genes. It is now possible to create in the laboratory seeds and thus crops
which possess the genetic ability to kill or inhibit disease-causing pests.

The term “agrochemical” is broader and includes chemicals which will
enhance the growth and yield of crops, but excludes large-scale inorganic
fertilizers.

I. THE MARKET FOR PESTICIDES

A. CURRENT STATUS

In 1992, approximately $8.2 billion, and in 1993, approximately $8.5
billion worth of pesticides were purchased for use in the United States. There
is no question that the productivity of American agriculture is due in large part
to the success of modern pesticides. There is also no question that we are still
grappling with the problem of balancing the usefulness of pesticides with their
safety.

The largest market for pesticides as of 1993 was the United States. It
represents 34% of the total world market, which has been estimated at over
$25 billion. The retail value of pesticide sales in the United States for 1993
was well over $8 billion (see Table 1. 1 an d Figures 1. 1 an d 1.2 ).