DDT Sprayed Throughout the Cape in
the Late 1940s
Some studies have found higher levels of organochlorine pesticides such as DDT
in the blood serum and tissue of women with breast cancer, while others have
found no association. Laboratory tests in animals have linked some pesticides
with tumors or effects on reproductive organs. Some pesticides have also been
hypothesized to be endocrine disruptors.
Historically, pesticides have been widely used on Cape Cod, and
in past years the entire Cape has been sprayed with DDT. The maps
on this page show areas of large-scale pesticide application between
1956 and 1990, as well as areas of applications to agriculture and
wetlands (for mosquito control) on Cape Cod in 1951 (Source: MassGIS).
Since 1951 much of this land has been developed, but, because the
pesticides used in 1951 typically degrade extremely slowly, it is
likely that previously applied pesticides are still present today.
The locations of cranberry bogs and golf courses were compiled by
Silent Spring Institute researchers from multiple sources, representing
both current and historical land use. Numbers coded in green indicate
years in which a portion of the town was sprayed, and numbers in
italics designate years when an entire town was sprayed. For all
other years indicated, the area sprayed is unknown.
Large Scale Insect Control Data by Town
| Town |
Pesticide Active Ingredient |
Years of Recorded Spray Activity |
| Barnstable |
DDT |
1948, 1949, 1953, 1955, 1956,
1960, 1962, 1964 |
| Sevin and Sevin XLR |
1965, 1971,
1972, 1974, 1975, 1976,
1982 |
| Bourne |
DDT |
1949, 1953, 1955, 1956 |
| Sevin, Sevin XLR, and Sevin-4-oil |
1974, 1983, 1985 |
| Brewster |
DDT |
1948, 1950, 1955, 1956 |
| Gardona |
1969, 1970, 1971 |
| Sevin |
1971, 1972 |
| Chatham |
DDT |
1949, 1955 |
| Daconil |
1981 |
| Dennis |
DDT |
1948, 1949, 1953, 1955, 1956 |
| Sevin and Sevin-4-oil |
1971, 1972, 1974, 1981 |
| Eastham |
DDT |
1949, 1955 |
| unspecified |
1970 |
| Falmouth |
DDT |
1948, 1949, 1953, 1955, 1956,
1960, 1962, 1964 |
| Sevin XLR Plus |
1965, 1986 |
| Methoxychlor |
1981-1990 |
| Harwich |
DDT |
1948, 1950, 1953, 1955 |
| Sevin, Sevin XLR, and Sevin-4-oil |
1972, 1974, 1981,
1982 |
| Mashpee |
DDT |
1948, 1949, 1955, 1960, 1961,
1962, 1964 |
| Sevin-4-oil |
1965, 1974 |
| Orleans |
DDT |
1949, 1955 |
| Sevin |
1971, 1972 |
| Provincetown |
DDT |
1949, 1955,
1957 |
| Sevin |
1966, 1976 |
| Methoxychlor |
1963 |
| Sandwich |
DDT |
1948, 1949, 1953, 1955, 1956,
1964 |
| Sevin and Sevin XLR Plus |
1965, 1982, 1985, 1986 |
| Truro |
DDT |
1950, 1955, 1960 |
| Sevin |
1965, 1966,
1976 |
| Methoxychlor |
1981 |
| Wellfleet |
DDT |
1950, 1955 |
| unspecified |
1970 |
| Yarmouth |
DDT |
1949, 1955 |
| Sevin |
1972, 1973, 1974 |
| Massachusetts Military Reservation |
DDT |
1949, 1955 |
| Dieldrin |
1955, 1957-1965, 1963 |
| Malathion |
1972, 1973 |
|
Note: Spray activity includes any documented spraying within the
town boundaries. In some cases the entire town was sprayed, some
had only a small area sprayed, and in still others the area sprayed
is unknown.
Source: Cape Cod Breast Cancer and Environment Study Final Report, Silent
Spring Institute, December 1997. |
|
