Environmental Impacts from Pesticide Use: A Case Study of Soil Fumigation in Florida Tomato Production

Doris Sande,Jeffrey Mullen,Michael Wetzstein,Jack Houston

doi:10.3390/ijerph8124649

Abstract

The search for alternative fumigants has been ongoing since the 1992 Parties of the Montreal Protocol classified methyl bromide as a Class I controlled substance with an ozone depletion potential (ODP) of 0.7 and destined it for phase-out. This paper focuses on the hazards from fumigants proposed as alternatives for pre-plant soil fumigation in tomato production. We use the Environmental Impact Quotient (EIQ) developed by Kovach et al. to estimate the hazards from methyl bromide and the proposed alternative fumigants to workers, consumers, beneficial arthropods, birds, fish, and bees. Our findings indicate that iodomethane 98/2 has the lowest EIQ index value and field use rating, and is the alternative with the lowest relative risk. Among environmental categories, workers and beneficial arthropods experience the highest relative risks from the proposed tomato fumigants, and fish and consumers the least risks.

Highlights

Methyl bromide (MeBr) is a broad spectrum agricultural pesticide that has been used on more than crops worldwide—mainly in strawberry, bell pepper and tomato production [1]
Increased awareness of environmental and human health effects from pesticide use in agriculture have prompted policy measures aimed at reducing these effects
Finding alternative fumigants to methyl bromide is especially important to the tomato industry

Summary

Introduction

Methyl bromide (MeBr) is a broad spectrum agricultural pesticide that has been used on more than crops worldwide—mainly in strawberry, bell pepper and tomato production [1]. Its primary use is as a soil fumigant to control soil-borne diseases, nematodes, soil insects, pathogens and weeds. It is used in post-harvest storage and transportation of mainly fruits and vegetables; for laboratory and analytical use as a feedstock; and for quarantine and pre-shipment (QPS) purposes. Methyl bromide has been associated with effects to soil biodiversity and groundwater contamination [2]. In response to these findings, the 1992 Parties of the Montreal Protocol labeled it an ozone depleting substance (ODS) with an ozone depletion potential of 0.7 [3,4]. Under the 1998 amendment to this Act, the importation and production of methyl bromide was to be reduced by 50% by the year 2001, 70% by

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Conclusion