Copesan Leading the Way in Preparation Of Methyl Bromide PhaseOut

Brookfield, WI –In the United States, Methyl Bromide production, or importation, ends on January 1, 2001. Methyl Bromide is used to make an assortment of useful chemical products, including very effective fumigants. However, since Methyl Bromide has been shown in computer models as a potential stratospheric ozone depleting substance, production, and subsequent use, must be phased out according to international agreements.

In 1996, Congress amended the U.S. Clean Air Act to institute a graduated phaseout ending on January 1, 2005. However, EPA has not taken the steps to make that phaseout official. As a consequence, there are two bills before Congress (S.B. 2504) and (H.R. 4215) addressing this situation. In addition, the bills go further by prohibiting the phaseout of Methyl Bromide in the United States any sooner than the remainder of the world. There is also language in the two bills that allows the use of Methyl Bromide in food/feed storage and production facilities in order to meet federal, state, and local laws and regulations.

Due to the uncertain future of Methyl Bromide, Copesan is working very hard to develop various Methyl Bromide alternatives for assorted pest situations. "Methyl Bromide has so many good uses on the label that finding an effective replacement for every use is extremely difficult. For example, cheese mites in stored cheese. The fact is that there is not one single alternative for all the uses of Methyl Bromide," stated Dr. Jim Sargent, Director of Technical Support and Regulatory Compliance for Copesan.

"One tool that Copesan is pursuing is temperature modification for insect control such as heat treatments. Temperature modification, in combination with Integrated Pest Management (IPM), offers a good Methyl Bromide alternative for food processing facilities, especially for insect-vulnerable structures and equipment," declared Ole Dosland, Director of Technical Training & Education, for Copesan. "Emphasis on some IPM cornerstones such as exclusion, sanitation and physical/environmental controls must be intensified," continued Dosland.

Currently, Copesan is also placing an emphasis on the use of phosphine fumigants. The use of phosphine fumigants seems to be the leading replacement for Methyl Bromide for most commodity fumigations. A newly approved cylinderized phosphine/carbon dioxide fumigant offers improved control of fumigations. In addition, the use of carbon dioxide, in combination with other fumigants is reducing the amount of fumigants used in fumigations.

There are other tools in the IPM toolbox that have not been maximized for best results yet. Copesan is promoting the strengths of those underutilized tools. These tools include pest monitoring, thorough inspection of incoming materials, light management, positive airflow, etc. Nevertheless, Copesan realizes the best prevention strategies can occasionally fail and there are some situations were there are no realistic alternatives to Methyl Bromide. Copesan is active politically to continue those essential uses.

For more information on fumigation, alternative IPM practices, and pending regulations, contact Jim Sargent or Ole Dosland at Copesan Services, Inc.,
1-800-267-3726.

Copesan - Specialists in Pest Solutions, 3490 North 127th Street, Brookfield, WI 53005. Tel: 262-783-6261; Fax: 262-783-6267.