Under the requirement of Clean Air Act, the US Environment Protection Agency (EPA) has put forth regulation to phase out a number of ozone depleting substances. One of these chemical iscalled ‘methyl bromide’.

In Pakistan it is used by the federal department of plant protection for maintaining the international plant quarantine regulatory service in the country. Methyl bromide is a broad-spectrum pesticide used in the control of insect pests, nematodes, pathogens and rodents. Its emission appears to contribute to the thinning of ozone layer allowing the increased amount of radiation to reach the earth’s surface with potential impact not only to human health — including skin cancer and on environment — but to agricultural crops, as well.

In the 1995 Vienna meeting under the Montreal Protocol — which was signed by over 160 countries — global methyl bromide control was added, along with putting a freeze on methyl bromide use by 2002 and completely phasing it out by 2010 by the industrialized nations. For the non-industrialized countries the deadline was 2005 and in 2015. It is obvious that following its freeze in 2002 this pesticide will become scare as it is not manufactured in any developing countries. It therefore, becomes imperative on the government of Pakistan to take notice and arrange appropriate substitute of methyl-bromide with the help of the ‘national commission for alternate technology’ which is being constituted for the promotion of different technologies in the country.

Phasing-out of methyl bromide may also be viewed in the backdrop of the WTO agreement for prevention and spread of injurious insect pests and diseases, and weeds through imports and exports. In Pakistan, where the use of methyl bromide is restricted to regulatory plant quarantine, the phasing-out will not pose any serious problem as phosphine is used in chemical treatment and for non-chemical are irradiation and heat and cold treatments.

Irradiation: Currently 40 countries, including the United States of America and Russia are using irradiation as a pest control tool. Disinfestation of grain at the Russian port of Odessa estimated at 500,000 tons per year, is one of the largest documented commercial industrial application of this technology. Recently, India’s Food and Technology Division too, has introduced irradiation as a tool for pest control and boosting its commodity export with the help of Bhabha Nuclear Research Institute Mumbai.

Benefit of irradiation: Irradiation may be useful for preventing the movement of quarantine pest species possibly present in trade commodities in to the areas where such pests are not established. From an economic standpoint, irradiation, therefore, has the potential to increase trade opportunities between nations, especially from major fruit and vegetable producing countries with high infestation rate. Irradiation also can be used to reduce the risk of infection and disease caused by food borne pathogens. Although, consumers have concerns associated with the safety of irradiation technology and its effects on food, research indicates that properly irradiated food does not pose a risk to consumers. In addition, by interfering with cell division, irradiation inhibits sprouting in tubers, bulbs, and root vegetables (potatoes, onions, ginger) and can delay ripening of some tropical fruits, resulting an extended shelf-life for many foods. In turn, longer shelf-life will enhance the trade opportunities between nations by extending time constraints under which fresh produce must be delivered to more distant geographic markets, or by allowing the use of slower and less expensive modes of transportation.