Agriculture environmental impact

Chemistry and Environmental Impact. Lindane is produced by the photocataly2ed addition of chlorine to ben2ene to give a mixture of isomers. The active y-HCH isomer can be preferentially extracted and purified. Composition of the technical-grade product is a (65—70%), B (7—10%), y (14—15%), 5 (7%), and S (1—2%). Lindane has been produced worldwide for its use as an insecticide and for other minor uses in veterinary, agricultural, and medical products. 

In this chapter, the agricultural, economic, and environmental impacts of pesticide use in world and U.S. food production are analyzed. In addition, an assessment is made of the potential that substituting nonchemical controls for some pesticide use would have in reducing chemicals and providing adequate pest controls. 

Znaor, D. Kieft, H. (2000) Environmental impact and macro-economic feasibility of organic agriculture in the Danube River Basin. Proceedings of the 13th International IFOAM Scientific Conference, Basel, Switzerland, pp 160-3. 

Further, the authors have carefully examined and documented the public health and environmental impacts of pesticide use in the USSR. The USSR was the largest country by territory in the world and the use of pesticide here was enormous. As the authors have shown, this happened mostly because the USSR s Communistic rulers decided at the end of the 1960 s — to turn all chemical weaponry plants (constructed in the beginning of the cold war) to pesticide production. With rich government subsidies, pesticides were distributed through all collective farms The Soviet official policy, the chemicalisation of agriculture, was an attempt to overcome its prominent ineffectiveness in crop production. 

It is well known that crop management systems, the quality of the soil and the weathering conditions are just some of the factors used in order to assess production of GHG. Therefore, an understanding of the future environmental impacts of crop production is essential in order to achieve greater crop yields without decreasing the quality of the environment and social welfare. Additionally, Tilman [2] reported that the recent intensification of agriculture, coupled with the prospect of even further intensification in the future, will have major detrimental impacts on the world s ecosystems. 

Tilman D. Global environmental impacts of agricultural expansion The need for sustainable and efficient practices. P Natl Acad Sci USA. 1999 96 5995-6000. DOI 10.1073/pnas.96.11.5995... 

Thomassen MA, de Boer IJM. Evaluation of Indicators to Assess the Environmental Impact of Dairy Production Systems. Agriculture. Ecosystems and Environment. 2005 111 185-199. DOI 10.1016/j.agee.2005.06.013... 

Thirugnanam, M. and A.J. Forgash. 1977. Environmental impact of mosquito pesticides toxicity and anticholinesterase activity of chlorpyrifos to fish in a salt marsh habitat. Arch. Environ Contam, Toxicol. 5 415-425. Tsuda, T., S. Aoki, T. Inoue, and M. Kojima. 1994. Accumulation and excretion of pesticides used as insecticides or fungicides in agricultural products by the willow shiner Gnathopogon caerulescens. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 107C 469-473. 

The environmental impact of a new product needs to be assessed before it can be released for general use. Chemicals released into the environment can enter the food chain and be concentrated in plants and animals. Aquatic ecosystems are particularly sensitive, in this respect, since chemicals, when applied to agricultural land, can be transported in the ground water to rivers and then to the lakes, where they can accumulate in fish and plant life. The ecokinetic model presented here is based on a simple compartmental analysis and is based on laboratory ecosystem studies (Blau et ah, 1975). The model is useful in simulating the results of events, such as the accidental spillage of an agrochemical into a pond, where it is not ethical to perform actual experimental studies. 

EPA. 1982b. Determination of the environmental impact of several substitute chemicals in agriculturally affected wetlands. Washington, DC U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Document No. EPA- 600/4-82-052. 

Many benefits for EU industry, consumers and the environment derive from the use of renewable raw materials (a) increased competitiveness from products having tailor-made performance compared with, or in combination with, conventional materials (b) a more stable and secure source of supply (c) a reduction in environmental impact (d) new and growing markets, providing economic benefits to industry as well as and (e) employment opportunities in processing industries and the agricultural sector. 

Subsidies and incentives are provided independendy from the environmental impact that ethanol may have during its entire life cycle, therefore, supporting biofuel production in the US. In 2001, the Emopean Commission launched a policy to promote the use of biofuels for transport in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the environmental impact of transport, as well as to increase security of supply, technological iimovation and agricultural diversification (UN, 2006). 

Environmental Impact. Again, I hardly have to mention the importance of environmental data look at the requirements for environmental impact data for registration of agricultural products. 

---