The article will explain the nature of Agent Orange and will also highlight the historical narrative associated. The detrimental impacts on humans and disposal methods will also be shed light upon.
Which among insecticide dioxin weedicide biofertilizer biopesticide is Agent Orange?
Agent Orange is a dioxin that was used as a tactical agent in the US-Vietnam War. The dioxin is hazardous and non-biodegradable. Studies show it can remain in the system for decades.
To get our answer, let us delve straight into what Agent Orange is. The name almost feels like it’s from one of the James Bond movies. However, in real life too, there is a lot of drama in store for us.
The chemical reality of Agent Orange is that it is a mixture of two main chemicals namely
- 2,4, dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D
- 2,4,5 trichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4,5-T)
From a chemical perspective, Agent Orange is a dioxin that had been used as a herbicide back then in the US-Vietnam war as less of a herbicide and more of a tactical agent.
Is Agent Orange good or bad?
There is no dubiety or equivocality when it comes to the nature of Agent Orange because there is no way that Agent Orange benefits. There are only detrimental impacts that one can never be oblivious of.
The negative impacts of Agent Orange can be explained from a variety of frames but there are three mainframes that the article will focus on
- Effects on humans
- Effects on the environment
- Effects on animals
Effects on humans
Agent Orange has been linked with a number of medical complications such as:
- Mutations
- Cancer
- Birth defects
- Neurodevelopmental issues
- Neurological complications
- Diabetes
- Disabilities
It is claimed that as many as three million people have been affected by the exacerbated side effects of Agent Orange. Since it is a persistent organic pollutant, the results and impacts are still seen to this date. Even today, more than 1.5 lac are born with implications that are mentioned just above.
Effect on the environment
This section will cover the environmental impacts of Agent Orange. This can be explained through two frames. These are:
- Agent Orange as a herbicide
- Agent Orange is a non-biodegradable substance
Let us first take up the role of Agent Orange as a non-biodegradable material. There are a plethora of effects that could be rendered by Agent Orange by being non-biodegradable.
An average person is responsible for the generation of more than 3-5 kgs of waste per day. This creates a lot of pressure on waste management systems.
Also, biodegradability ensures that waste does not cause environmental problems. The importance of this act can be seen in the negative effects of non-biodegradable waste. These include:
- Global warming
- Greenhouse effect
- Melting of glaciers
- Rising sea levels
- Unprecedented weather patterns
- Floods
Agent Orange, being non-biodegradable, has a role in the promotion and expansion of these negative effects on the environment.
Agent Orange is a herbicide made from a contaminated source called dioxin. Therefore, there are a number of environmental impacts of Agent Orange as a herbicide.
One important aspect is that Agent Orange is a harmful herbicide. This means that it has the capacity to target and affect non-target plants as well.
This may lead to decreased growth of plants and increased mortality rates in plants. When this happens, there are repercussions for sure.
For example, when plant growth is decreased, there will be an impact on the economy as well as the substantiality. The country will not be able to produce the required crop and would need to import materials from other countries.
This will not only create economic disturbances but will also create a sense of unequal production of crops that may last for many years.
Further, the case of Agent Orange is significantly exacerbated than any common herbicide. This is because Agent Orange was used as a tactical herbicide against the enemy in the Vietnam war.
It is claimed that Agent Orange was sprayed in 20 times more concentration than was recommended. This led to complete destruction and devastation of fields. The results are persistent to this day.
Since Agent Orange is a persistent pollutant, the effects of dioxin in soil samples are recorded to be in unhealthy concentration that is bad for the people and bad for the planet.
Is Agent Orange a persistent pollutant?
Yes, Agent Orange is a persistent pollutant because the negative or detrimental impacts of Agent Orange exist to date.
It may remain in the soil for decades and this is not a subjective statement but an objective fact that has been excavated and explored by the US EPA.
The soil samples of the areas where Agent Orange was heavily sprayed revealed that the dioxin can remain in the system for many years. The negative effects of persistence is not only about the soil, it is also about humans.
As per research, Agent Orange can cause medical complications such as reproductive complications, genetic disorders and other abnormalities.
The US-Vietnam war has long gone but the negative effects are still present. As per a study, more than a million people in the area are still born with abnormalities and dysfunctions that have been explained in the previous section.
How to dispose of Agent Orange?
Agent Orange is an extremely dangerous material and for these reasons, it is considered hazardous waste. Therefore, there is not much you can do to dispose of it.
Its use has been discontinued and it is claimed that more than a million gallons of Agent Orange were incinerated at sea under the guidance and check of the US EPA. This was done under the operation named PACER HO.
However, if there is Agent Orange that you come by any chance, the best you can do is to carefully give it to a nearby hazardous waste collection facility. Be very sure that there is no exposure as there can be a multitude of negative effects as explained in the previous sections.
Conclusion
The chemical reality of Agent Orange is that it is a mixture of two main chemicals namely
- 2,4, dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D
- 2,4,5 trichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4,5-T)
From a chemical perspective, Agent Orange is a dioxin that had been used as a herbicide back then in the US-Vietnam war as less of a herbicide and more of a tactical agent.
Agent Orange is a dangerous dioxin that has effects on the environment (as it impacts to soil and can remain for decades giving it the status of being non-biodegradable) and also affects humans.
It is claimed that as many as three million people have been affected by the exacerbated side effects of Agent Orange. Since it is a persistent organic pollutant, the results and impacts are still seen to this date. Even today, more than 1.5 lac are born with implications that are mentioned just above.
References
- Aspen Institute. What is Agent Orange? Retrieved from: https://www.aspeninstitute.org/programs/agent-orange-in-vietnam-program/what-is-agent-orange/
- Rüegg, W. T., Quadranti, M., & Zoschke, A. (2007). Herbicide research and development: challenges and opportunities. Weed Research, 47(4), 271-275.
- Frumkin, H. (2003). Agent Orange and cancer: an overview for clinicians. CA: a cancer journal for clinicians, 53(4), 245-255.
- Martini, E. A. (2012). Agent Orange: history, science, and the politics of uncertainty. University of Massachusetts Press.
- Ngo, A. D., Taylor, R., Roberts, C. L., & Nguyen, T. V. (2006). Association between Agent Orange and birth defects: systematic review and meta-analysis. International Journal of Epidemiology, 35(5), 1220-1230.
- Greig, J. B. (1995). Veterans and Agent Orange: Health Effects of Herbicides Used in Vietnam. Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 52(2), 144.