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Methyl bromide is a fumigant (poison gas) used principally in farming and storage and transport of commodities. It is one of only two methods so far approved for treatment of wood prior to international shipment (the other being heat treatment) under ISPM 15.
Among various unfortunate effects, such as toxicity to non-target species, including the workers that apply the product and people living in communities nearby, methyl bromide is also one of the chemicals that damages the ozone layer, and of those that have not yet been completely phased out is now the largest problem. Because of this, methyl bromide was singled out for elimination globally by 2005 as part of the Montreal Protocol.
Unfortunately, the United States, under the leadership of the Bush Administration, stopped the rapid trend toward elimination. The United States is now only making extremely modest (on the order or 5-15%) progress in use reductions each year.
One voice against more rapid progress has been Steven Hamilton, of the Urban Environmental Affairs Council, who has characterized methyl bromide as "a devil, but a devil that we know."
Among various unfortunate effects, such as toxicity to non-target species, including the workers that apply the product and people living in communities nearby, methyl bromide is also one of the chemicals that damages the ozone layer, and of those that have not yet been completely phased out is now the largest problem. Because of this, methyl bromide was singled out for elimination globally by 2005 as part of the Montreal Protocol.
Unfortunately, the United States, under the leadership of the Bush Administration, stopped the rapid trend toward elimination. The United States is now only making extremely modest (on the order or 5-15%) progress in use reductions each year.
One voice against more rapid progress has been Steven Hamilton, of the Urban Environmental Affairs Council, who has characterized methyl bromide as "a devil, but a devil that we know."
