Help Ban DDT!

Dear WWF Conservation Action Network Participant:

Disturbing new information has emerged in the past few years
about the dangers of DDT to wildlife and humans.   Please follow
the simple steps below to send a free fax and/or e-mail to the
Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) urging
her to call for a global phaseout and ban of DDT use and
production by the year 2007.

Although DDT was banned decades ago in industrialized countries,
thousands of tons of the deadly pesticide DDT are still produced
each year and cause health and environmental hazards throughout
the world.  For many years, DDT has played a major role in global
efforts to combat malaria and other diseases.   However, because
safer and often more effective alternatives for fighting these
diseases are available, DDT should now be phased out and banned.

A 1998 report by WWF, Resolving the DDT Dilemma, notes that DDT
is linked to irreparable harm, including reduced lactation in
human mothers and damage to the immune and nervous systems of
laboratory animals.  Because of DDT's long life and ability to
travel great distances, millions of humans and animals worldwide
have build-ups of the chemical in their tissues, even though the
pesticide may have been produced on another continent.

Mexico, one of the world's few remaining producers of DDT, has
already committed to a DDT ban by 2007.  The World Health
Organization could play an important leadership role in
convincing other countries to follow suit.

To take action now, go to http://takeaction.worldwildlife.org and
click on "Your Personal Action Center."

For FAQs, e-mail [log in to unmask]  Additional
questions or comments?  E-mail [log in to unmask]

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