A pesticide called methyl bromide is damaging the Earth's protective shield of
ozone.
Farmers use this pesticide to kill tiny worms called nematodes, bugs and weeds
that can affect strawberries, tomatoes and flowers. It is now the third most important
cause of ozone destruction, after CFCs and halons. Its use has doubled in six
years [1] but now (2004), there's a campaign
to convince US supermarkets to stop selling food grown or treated with methyl
bromide.
But there is an alternative: methyl iodide which is no threat to the ozone
shield [2]. Why aren't farmers using this instead?
[1] New Scientist, 11/12/99, 7; [2] New Scientist, 20/7/96,
9