Gone are the days when dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) can instantly kill those pesky bedbugs. Today, in a DDT free country, saving your bed from these bugs can be expensive. The cost of professional extermination reaches $200 to $1500 – per room – and may depend on the gravity of the infestation.
Even if we pull DDT back in the scene, bedbugs are already immune to it by now. And the government is already extra cautious after the horrible effects of this chemical to the environment and to humans as well. But aside from these things, there are still a variety of reasons why we can’t find a definite solution for these bugs.
Start with the chemical companies
Simply, chemical companies are more interested in products that bring in big money. And now, developing chemicals with some agricultural application just make better economic sense.
It’s not just a question of profit
The use of DDT, in relation to fighting pests in an agricultural setting, and the effects of mass aerial spraying greatly influenced people’s perception on pest control. Today, pesticide science is more based on genetic engineering. And fighting bedbugs requires an old-fashioned chemical spray that the industry has already turned its back on.
Then there is the government
Unlike mosquitoes, bedbugs don’t carry diseases. And unlike termites, they won’t tear your house down. So unless people can convince the government that bedbugs pose threats to health and/or property, government funding and support is still out of the picture.
So, it seems that unless someone steps up and develops a new safe, cheap, effective poison – no matter what the cost – the bedbug pandemic will only get worse.
Source: CNN
