Methyl Bromide

Methyl bromide is an odorless, colorless soil and structural fumigant injected roughly two feet underground to sterilize soil of fungi, weeds, insects, nematodes, and rodents before planting. It is a potent ozone-depleting substance, contributing an estimated 5–15% of future stratospheric ozone loss if left unchecked, which placed it under phase-out obligations of the Montreal Protocol. It is also acutely toxic to humans at the point of fumigation, capable of causing central nervous system and respiratory failure, and has caused documented worker poisoning incidents. Despite the phase-out, the United States continues to apply for and receive "critical use" and quarantine/pre-shipment exemptions from the Montreal Protocol, allowing continued agricultural and shipping use well beyond the original phase-out deadline.