5. Conclusion

The use of organochlorine pesticides in the late 19th and early 20th centuries led to environmental and health problems around the world. One in particular, chlordecone, is responsible for two major incidents. The first, the Hopewell incident in the United States, occurred in the 1970s. Workers at the manufacturing plant suffered from symptoms of acute toxicity, and the James River and Chesapeake Bay were contaminated. The second is the pollution of agricultural land in the French West Indies due to its use from 1972 to 1993. The repercussions are still being felt, as the contamination spreads to crops, farm animals, the sea and seafood, as well as drinking water, poisoning the population and leading to numerous health, social, and economic consequences.

Chlordecone has a bishomocubane structure, which makes it very stable. Initially thought to be impossible to...