DDT and DDE: Sources of Exposure and How to Avoid Them

(continued inside) R SUMMARY ecent work by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) on the leukemia cluster investigation in Churchill County, Nevada found the chemical DDE in relatively high concentrations in urine samples. DDE is produced by natural degradation of the pesticide DDT. The pesticide has been out of use in the United States for more than three decades, but it persists in the environment, especially in soil. Exposure to DDT, and DDE occurs mostly from eating foods containing small amounts of these compounds, particularly meat, fish and poultry. People may also come into contact with DDT residues in airborne dust. This publication discusses DDE and DDT and where these chemicals are most likely to be found in the environment. It also discusses the health implications of exposure to DDE and DDT. Finally, the publication offers advice about how to avoid exposure to DDT and DDE and how to dispose of leftover stocks of pest control chemicals.