Authors
David Pimentel, Lori McLaughlin, Andrew Zepp, Benyamin Lakitan, Tamara Kraus, Peter Kleinman, Fabius Vancini, W John Roach, Ellen Graap, William S Keeton, Gabe Selig
Publication date
1993
Journal
The pesticide question: environment, economics, and ethics
Pages
223-278
Publisher
Springer US
Description
Several studies suggest that it is technologically feasible to reduce pesticide use in the United States 35—50% without reducing crop yields (PSAC, 1965; OTA, 1979; NAS, 1989; Palladino, 1989). Two recent events in Denmark and Sweden support these assessments. Denmark developed an action plan in 1985 to reduce the use of pesticides 50% before 1997 (Mogensen, 1989). Sweden also approved a program in 1988 to reduce pesticide use by 50% within 5 years (NBA, 1988). The Netherlands is developing a program to reduce pesticide use 50% in 10 years (Süddeutsche Zeitung, 1989). These proposals, along with Huffaker’s (1980) assessment that the United States overuses pesticides, prompted us to investigate the feasibility of reducing the annual use of synthetic organic pesticides by approximately one-half.
Total citations
Scholar articles
D Pimentel, L McLaughlin, A Zepp, B Lakitan, T Kraus… - The pesticide question: environment, economics, and …, 1993