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U.S. Index of Methyl Bromide Alternatives
What is this list?How do I use this list?
How should I respond to this list?
- What is this list?
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This document lists methyl bromide alternatives, by crop, that were identified by international technical advisory groups under the Montreal Protocol. The list includes chemical treatments and/or procedures that are:
- registered in the United States, and
- "technically feasible for controlling pests" (Methyl Bromide Technical Options Committee (MBTOC), 1998).
Thus, an "X" for a specific alternative for a given crop indicates that the specific chemical has "technical potential" to replace methyl bromide.
This list of alternatives is derived from a corresponding list that addresses all alternatives, by crop, that were identified by past reports produced by the United Nations' technical committees and panels: the Methyl Bromide Technical Options Committee (MBTOC) reports
and Technology and Economic Assessment Panel (TEAP)
reports.
Back to the top - How do I use this list?
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The list represents a baseline for all methyl bromide users in the U.S. The list does not address local regulatory issues or location-specific technical issues affecting the use of the alternatives. Furthermore, the list does not address the economic feasibility of the alternatives. EPA does not necessarily believe that alternatives in the list are feasible for all U.S. methyl bromide users.
Back to the top - How should I respond to this list?
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EPA plans to request applications for critical use exemptions in mid-2002. A notice will be published in the Federal Register that will further delineate how to apply for a critical use exemption, including how to respond to the alternatives in this list and how to submit an application. We will post that Federal Register notice on this website, so please continue to check this website for the request for applications.
If you are considering applying for a critical use exemption from the phaseout of methyl bromide, you will be expected to address any technical, regulatory, or economic issues limiting the adoption of the alternatives for your crop in this list. Furthermore, you will be expected to address any technical, regulatory, or economic issues limiting the adoption of non-chemical alternatives for your crop in the international list. Thus, you must make the case that the listed alternatives are either not technically feasible or not economically feasible for the particular circumstance for which an exemption is being requested.
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