Farmers have been using methyl bromide since 1961, but in 1990 the Montreal Protocol mandated farmers to stop by 2005 because of its ozone destroying ways. Several government exemptions allowed farmers to continue using the fumigant, but these will all expire at the end of 2016.
That sounds like a good thing — that farmers stop using this compound that destroys the ozone layer.
The problem is that we still don’t have any good replacements for methyl bromide.
Read the rest of the story here:
http://news.yahoo.com/farmers-facing-big-problem-could-205900567.html
I wonder if the Transpacific Protocol and the Trade Agreement coming up with Europe will allow chemical companies to force farmers and countries to use harmful pesticides and fertilizers around the world.