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Pesticide Information Program Methyl Bromide
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Canisters of Methyl Bromide in storage
Photo credit: USDA

Methyl Bromide Index

1.  Definition of Methyl Bromide (MeBr)

2.  Changes to the Methyl Bromide Phase Out in the United States.

3.  Questions and Answers concerning the current U.S. phase out schedule for Methyl Bromide - EPA web site.

4.  Methyl Bromide Critical Use Exemption - Q&As. EPA

5.  Draft Proposal of Applicator Education Program for Use of 100% Methyl Bromide Products

6.  Selected Methyl Bromide web sites and publications

 
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Methyl Bromide (MeBr)           Back to index

Methyl bromide (MeBr) is an odorless, colorless gas used in agriculture throughout the world. The United States uses it on more than 100 crops as a soil fumigant and as a postharvest treatment. Methyl bromide has been used extensively in regulatory activities as a plant quarantine treatment to control a variety of pests. Methyl bromide is also used to fumigate structures such as grain storage facilities and warehouses, flour mills and ships carrying agricultural commodities. Methyl bromide has been used extensively in treating cargos at the Port of Charleston, and in structural fumigation in the Charleston area. California and Florida are the primary users of methyl bromide.

 

Changes to the Methyl Bromide Phase Out in the United States           Back to index

The methyl bromide phase out in the United States has changed; the U.S. will no longer be phasing out this ozone depleting substance in 2001. Due to recent legislative actions by the U.S. Congress, the methyl bromide phase out in the U.S. has been changed to the following:

Methyl bromide production and importation will be reduced from 1991 levels as follows:

               25% reduction in 1999
               50% reduction in 2001
               70% reduction in 2003
               100% reduction in 2005
               Preshipment and quarantine uses exempt
               Critical agricultural uses allocated after 2005

 

Other Selected Methyl Bromide web sites and publications:           Back to index

  1. EPA Methyl Bromide Phaseout - This EPA site is a comprehensive site that gives a lot of information on MeBr and the whole phaseout picture. Info and links on the Montreal Protocol, ozone depletion, FAQs, MeBr alternatives, etc.
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  2. Methyl Bromide and Priority Review of Methyl Bromide Alternatives - Regulatory Status of Methyl Bromide and Priority Review of Methyl Bromide Alternatives - EPA PRN 95-4. July 1995. This notice informs registrants, producers, and users of methyl bromide about the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) policies and obligations under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), the U.S. Clean Air Act (CAA), and the Montreal Protocol to regulate methyl bromide. It is also intended to inform registrants of EPA's commitment to giving priority review to methyl bromide alternatives, consistent with the Agency's reduced risk initiative.
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  3. Economic Implications of the Methyl Bromide Phaseout - Economic Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture. Agriculture Information Bulletin No. 756 (AIB-756). February 2000. (267 kb)
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  4. Alternatives to Pre-Plant Uses of Methyl Bromide - at the EPA Ozone Depletion Rules and Regulations site.
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  5. Alternatives to Post Harvest Uses of Methyl Bromide - at the EPA Ozone Depletion Rules and Regulations site.
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  6. IR-4 Methyl Bromide Alternatives Program - This site includes information on IR-4's strawberry and tomato methyl bromide alternatives research.
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  7. Montreal Protocol- The 1987 Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone. Information about the Montreal Protocal and access to full text of the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone.
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  8. USDA Methyl Bromide Alternatives Newsletter
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  9. USDA Methyl Bromide Research - USDA Methyl Bromide Homepage. Features MeBr alternatives research.
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  10. ATSDR Methyl Bromide - Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) Methyl Bromide Patent Information. Health effects information on MeBr.
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  11. Methyl bromide: Are there effective alternatives? - Article by the American Farm Bureau Federation in GEMPLERs IPM solutions (December 2000).To view this article, click on IPM Almanac under the Features heading. Then under IPM Solutions Newsletter click on Archive and go to the Month and Year of this article.
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  12. Weed Control Without Methyl Bromide - Slide presentation from UGA Weed Science
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Last Updated: December 1, 2004

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