The status of methyl bromide under the Clean Air Act and the Montreal Protocol

Book excerpt: This volume includes the transcript of the U.S. Congress subcommittee hearing held in June 2003 that discussed the status of the compound methyl bromide as it pertains to the Montreal Protocol and the Clean Air Act. The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer is an international treaty designed to protect the ozone layer by phasing out the production of numerous substances believed to be responsible for ozone depletion. The Clean Air Act is a U.S. federal law designed to control air pollution on a national level. Methyl bromide (MeBr) is an odorless, colorless gas that has been used as a soil fumigant and structural fumigant to control pests across a wide range of sectors. Because MeBr depletes the stratospheric ozone layer, the amount of MeBr produced and imported in the U.S. was reduced incrementally until it was phased out completely by January 1, 2005, pursuant to the U.S.'s obligation under the Montreal Protocol and the Clean Air Act.