DDT is very bad for certain species that live in the environment; birds for example. As well it's a durable compound that it doesn't break down easily, meaning that it lingers in the environment over many generations of a species so the effects on that species are magnified.
Indirectly it's bad for humans because of the effects it has on the environment which, as you point out, humans are a part of. But spraying it directly on human children, for example, is not specifically a bad thing so if science had only looked at the effect it has on humans it very possibly would not have been banned.
Does that clear it up for you?
As well it's a durable compound that it doesn't break down easily, meaning that it lingers in the environment over many generations of a species
And gets into food and water and then into humans? But you said it's okay for humans? But humans are a species of mammal.
I think you're missing the point. It's the context in which DDT is no longer sprayed at all as well as at humans.
However, if you want to shower in DDT, I'm not going to be an anti-DDT activist. Go for it
https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&q=ddt+effect+on+mammals
Mammals exposed to DDT develop liver tumors and have an increased risk of liver tumors (1). In one study where female and male mice consumed doses of DDT for life, the males were twice as likely to develop liver tumors (1). The EPA has categorized DDT as a B2 carcinogen (8).
If you recall I only mentioned that the LD50 of DDT on humans is relatively low. I did not claim that is has no effect. My point being that it wasn't because of the toxicity on humans that DDT was banned. I am not in any sense suggesting that DDT is safe; only that the original post is propaganda.
You said the meme was shit because it was anti-science and took a hard critical stance ignoring context and actual science that shows the meme is accurate
(post is archived)