Pesticides in Ancient Times
Since the dawn of agriculture, humans have attempted to control pests to increase yields. Evidence suggests that the Sumerians used sulfur-based compounds to protect crops, while China used mercury and arsenic derivatives around 1200 BC. Wood ash and plant extracts were used in ancient Rome, while natural pesticides such as nicotine-containing tobacco extracts and soapy water became widely used after the Middle Ages.
The Rise of Chemical Pesticides
However, with the industrial revolution in the late 19th century, arsenic-based compounds began to be widely used. In 1867, Paris Green (copper-arsenic acetoarsenide) was one of the first commercial pesticides used against potato pests. This compound was followed by London Purple in 1892, and then lead arsenate. While effective, these chemicals posed significant risks to human and environmental health. Furthermore, as the world was rapidly changing, populations and conventional agriculture began to boom.
DDT and the Triumph of Chemical Pesticides
The turning point for chemical pesticides came in 1939, when Swiss chemist Paul Hermann Müller demonstrated the insecticidal effects of DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane). While DDT was effective in combating malaria by killing mosquitoes and increasing agricultural production, it severely damaged ecological balance and food security. The substance was virtually indestructible, causing a chain reaction of death for all living creatures. Furthermore, mosquitoes and lice developed immunity over time, but the toxins they carried continued to be transmitted in nature. In European countries, where its use had been banned since the 1980s, samples taken from farmers' homes showed toxic cocktails of DDT and other pesticides. In Australia, despite a complete ban since 1987, serious DDT accumulations were found along the coast of Victoria.
Modern Pesticides
After the 1950s, various chemical classes were developed, including organophosphates (e.g., parathion), carbamates (e.g., carbaryl), chlorinated hydrocarbons (e.g., aldrin, dieldrin), and later, synthetic pyrethroids (e.g., permethrin). However, most of these substances were strictly regulated due to their food safety and environmental persistence, and some were banned. Nevertheless, these pesticides, which persist in the food chain even at the maximum legal levels, are used in almost every country and in almost all areas of agriculture.
Differences Between Countries
There are also legal differences between these countries. For example, the US allows the use of many pesticides banned in Europe, both in higher quantities and in larger quantities. In Europe, emergency decrees allow exemptions, and these banned substances hold a significant share of the market through smuggling (10-15%). Of course, the situation worsens with increasing poverty, and the country falls further behind in terms of health criteria and controls. According to GloPUT, the use of these pesticides in low-income countries has increased by 150% in the last 10 years. While Türkiye has more legal prohibitions and restrictions than the US, it is quite liberal in both law and practice according to EU criteria.
CONCLUSION: Pesticides Are Deadly
Almost all chemical pesticides are used for their direct lethal effects. They pose a health risk to all living things, beyond the ones they target. For food safety, be sure to source your food from the correct source whenever possible and wash it using methods that will remove the maximum amount of pesticide residue. Using pesticide testing will help you gauge product quality and your cleaning methods. Although many products are sold under the guise of organic food, there is no real control or measurement established in our country. As PESTEST, we recommend you verify this claim at least once.
