Methyl Bromide Phase-out Background

Contents What is Methyl Bromide? Why was Methyl Bromide Phased Out? Methyl Bromide Phase-out Schedule Australia's Approach to the Methyl Bromide Phase-out Guide to Soil Disinfestation in the Absence of Methyl Bromide 'National Methyl Bromide Update' Newsletters Research Contacts Links What is Methyl Bromide? Methyl bromide (MB) is a broad-spectrum fumigant, which has been used in horticultural industries for the past sixty years. MB was frequently used in soil disinfestation because of its ease of application and ability to control a range of soil-borne diseases, insects, nematodes and weeds under a wide range of soil and climatic conditions. Prior to 1999, approximately 80% of the international use of MB was for pre-plant soil fumigation in horticultural industries. Its use in soil underpinned approximately $400 million worth of Australian horticulture, with the main users being tomato, capsicum, strawberry and flower producers. MB is also used internationally in Quarantine and Pre-Shipment (QPS) fumigation, to treat various commodities to prevent the spread of pests. QPS uses of MB are not subject to the Montreal Protocol's 2005 phase-out. The Regulations state that MB is used for QPS if: a. it is applied by, or with the authorisation of, a Commonwealth, State or Territory authority to prevent the introduction, establishment or spread of a pest or disease in Australia, a State or a Territory; or b. it is applied to a commodity, before it is exported, to meet the requirements of the importing country or a law of the Commonwealth. (Department of Environment and Heritage 2004). Although QPS uses of MB are currently exempt from the phase-out, it is possible that regulatory restrictions or other external influences could prompt a future reduction of MB use for QPS. Why was Methyl Bromide Phased Out? MB is a powerful ozone-depleting substance; the bromines it contains are fifty times more destructive to ozone than the chlorine found in CFCs. Destruction of the ozone layer is of international concern, as it increases the risk of disorders such as skin cancer. This is particularly significant in Australia, where one in two people will be affected by ultraviolet-B (UVB) damage to skin at some stage of their lives. Eliminating MB from horticultural industries worldwide is an important step towards restoring the ozone layer. The full implementation of the Montreal Protocol should see almost immediate reductions of halogen (Cl-, Br-) pollutants in the ozone layer and recovery of the health of the ozone layer within the next decade. This will be the first time in history that humankind has reversed an environmental problem of such magnitude. To protect the ozone layer from further destruction, an international agreement was developed by the United Nations. The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, was signed by over 160 countries worldwide, it listed a number of ozone-depleting substances, including MB, and in 1997 planned for its international phase-out in soils by 2005.		Photo: Hillside Fumigation
		Diagram: Chemical Structure of Methyl Bromide
		Photo: Ozone Hole 2004 Source: TOMS Science Team
		Methyl Bromide Phase-out Schedule Year Required MB Reduction 1998 0% (based on the average 1995-98 levels) 1999 25% 2001 50% 2003 70% 2005 100%