Herbicide a useless evil

The Bush Administration and some other Western governments are racing to file exceptions on behalf of certain industries in regard to the Montreal Treaty's environmental requirements.\nThe Montreal Treaty would limit the use of many chemicals known to damage the ozone layer, and would completely ban some substances from use by 2005. \nMethyl bromide, a chemical used in agriculture, is high on the list of substances to be banned. It also happens to be a chemical that, the Bush administration argues, is essential to the efficiency of some industries, like treating golf course grass and killing pests in grain storage silos.\nThere are three ironic twists to this situation.\nOne, if the exemptions are granted, most experts agree that the usage of methyl bromide would increase to greater levels than before, effectively rendering the Montreal Treaty useless in that respect.\nTwo, the Montreal Treaty has been in effect and working toward slowly banning dangerous substances since 1987. Governments everywhere have had ample opportunity to seek and find suitable alternatives to such a harmful substance. \nThree, the very thing that methyl bromide destroys could be used as an effective replacement for the environmentally-damaging chemical. Yes ozone, when applied correctly, may act as a suitable substitute for methyl bromide. It kills insects and disinfects materials at low concentrations, and when the job is done, ozone breaks up into separate oxygen molecules for easy clean up and no damage to other, unintended life forms. Ozone disinfection is currently being used in some hospital surgical facilities, and home ozone-powered air cleansers are available in stores.\nImagine that. Nature already had a powerful cleansing agent ready for use. With a little more research and more resolve to find a better way instead of clinging to the old way, businesses could continue being productive, and the environment would not have to suffer for it.\nPurdue researcher Linda Mason had this to say about the research in the Public Interest Newswire:\n"The chemicals currently used can kill everything in and around the grain bin, including people," she said. "With ozone, we're not generating ozone at deadly concentrations, and we have better control over it when it's present."\nTo think that for so long, the grain in our breakfast cereals has been tainted with chemicals so toxic that they destroy ozone. Makes you think twice before you dig into that big bowl of Cap'n Crunch, doesn't it?\nIf methyl bromide is allowed to stay, sunblock will no doubt get more expensive. SPF 1,000 won't come cheap. \n-- George Lyle IV for the Editorial Board