Today the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
(APHIS) published a notice in the Federal Register (78 FR
36507-36508) concerning a proposed new treatment schedule for the use of
the fumigant methyl bromide. According to the notice APHIS has “determined that
it is necessary to immediately add to the Plant
Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) Treatment Manual an additional treatment
schedule for methyl bromide fumigation of blueberries for Mediterranean fruit
fly and South American fruit fly”.
This is not actually a new use for methyl bromide, but a
modification (lowering the application temperature from 70° F to 60° F) of the currently
approved treatment procedure (T101-i-1-1). It does, however, provide an example
of why the Environmental Protection Agency is having such a difficult time
phasing out the use of methyl bromide as a fumigant under the provisions of the
Montreal Protocol on the Protection of Atmospheric Ozone. Methyl bromide is
just too effective a tool as a pesticidial (okay that’s probably made-up, but
it ought to be a word) fumigant.
Public comments on this proposed action (which becomes effective upon
publication of this notice today) may be submitted via the Federal
eRulemaking Portal (www.Regulations.gov;
Docket # APHIS-2013-0007). Such comments need to be submitted by August 19th,
2013.
ABBREVIATED RANT: The toxic-inhalation-hazard (TIH) chemical
methyl bromide was not included in the current list of DHS chemicals of
interest for the CFATS program (Appendix
A, 6 CFR Part 27) because it was ‘being phased out of commercial use’ by
the EPA. Needless to say it is still in general use and should be added to
Appendix A.
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