Pesticide that destroys ozone OK'd for U.S. use

[lovuian]

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/291107_ozone04.html?source=rss

The Bush administration on Friday won international approval for U.S. farmers to use thousands of tons of a potent ozone-destroying pesticide without having to dip substantially into large stockpiles that were recently revealed.

The pesticide, methyl bromide, was banned under an international treaty nearly two years ago except for uses deemed critical. U.S. officials have secured exemptions to the ban so that growers can use it to kill soil pests for tomatoes, strawberries and other crops in agricultural states such as California and Florida.

At a meeting Friday in New Delhi, treaty partners approved use of just over 5,900 tons for those needs in 2008, said Michael Williams, spokesman for the Montreal Protocol, which works to phase out substances that deplete the ozone layer.

U.S. stockpiles far exceed that amount, but the nations said Americans can meet the need by manufacturing more than 5,000 tons of new methyl bromide. The stockpiles could then be drawn down.

more...
and the Ozone hole gets bigger and bigger

[Pachamama]

1. Just opening the door for the Rapture....

:puke:

George and the GOP are just so happy to take care of bringing on the Rapture and destroying Planet Earth....and all humans....

[upi402]

2. They wont be happy untill they kill everything

:grr: :nuke:

[Erika]

3. including us.

These people are evil.

[TheMadMonk]

4. Unfortunately, the need for this stuff is real.

Despite a great deal of research, there is no suitable replacement available for methyl bromide. If you've got the pests, you use it or lose the crop.

[Mendocino]

5. Methyl Bromide is also used on golf courses.

Can't have some weed messing up that perfect putt.

[anitar1]

6. I shudder when I drive by a golf course.

And wonder how many golfers get testicular cancer or other types. when will we we realize that chemicals are dangerous to our health? Evidently, never.

[Mendocino]

7. My parents live in FL.

One of those big golf/villa retirement places. (Yea...they are repugs) anyway, there are ponds with bass and panfish. A few residents fish, nobody eats their catch. They use pond water for the sprinklers, house windows and cars left out get a greasy coating on them from all the herbicides and fertilizers. People are advised not to walk barefoot in the grass and to wash their pets feet.

Eight of their neighbors have died in the last two years, seven of cancer.

My folks are getting old and wish to sell in the next few years. They wondered if I would be interested. Yea...right.

[sakabatou]

8. Anti-enviroment legislation; check.