Why was DDT banned?

DDT, or dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, is a colorless and tasteless chemical compound developed as an insecticide and its use was banned because of its role in the increased risk of serious health conditions in humans and animals alike. DDT was at the height of its popularity during the second World War. During this time, DDT was used to prevent diseases such as malaria and typhus. Though it was an effective insecticide, it was cause for concern when the chemical would also kill beneficial insects as well as birds and fish. Not only did DDT kill birds, but it also caused egg-shell thinning in Perregrine Falcons. This egg-shell thinning would make it much more difficult for the falcons' young to be born. The egg-shell thinning was not the extent of the damage done by DDT. This harmful compound is thought to be a carcinogen as well as an endocrine disruptor. An endocrine disruptor is a chemical that interupts an endocrine system. In this case, a chemical called DDE is formed from DDE when it loses hydrogen chloride. DDE is an androgen receptor antagonist, meaning it will bind to the same receptor that male sex hormones bind to, decreasing the effect of certain hormones such as testosterone. The deleterious human and animal effects caused by DDT were far too prevalent to allow it to continue being used and it was banned in the United States in 1972.