{"id":38212,"date":"2012-01-12T23:36:48","date_gmt":"2012-01-13T07:36:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.panna.org\/news\/struggle-against-methyl-iodide-year-review\/"},"modified":"2023-01-12T10:19:20","modified_gmt":"2023-01-12T18:19:20","slug":"struggle-against-methyl-iodide-year-review","status":"publish","type":"pan_blog","link":"https:\/\/www.panna.org\/news\/struggle-against-methyl-iodide-year-review\/","title":{"rendered":"The struggle against methyl iodide: A year in review"},"content":{"rendered":"

Opposition to cancer-causing methyl iodide is at a fever pitch<\/a> in California, a year after the Schwarzenegger Administration approved the chemical for use in the state.<\/p>\n

As Gov. Jerry Brown considers action on methyl iodide<\/a> in 2012, as well as the appointment of a new chief pesticide regulator, it’s worth reflecting on PAN's efforts to ensure safe strawberries<\/a> over the past year.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

It’s not too much of a stretch to say PAN and our allies, including leading scientists, held back the tide.<\/p>\n

"If no one said anything, I think the chemical would be used more widely,” said<\/a> Liz Elwood Ponce, co-owner of Lassen Canyon Nursery in Redding. Only six small applications of methyl iodide have been made in California over the past year, a state where 8,500 fumigations take place annually.<\/p>\n

We definitely said something<\/a>. We held numerous press conferences, filed legal briefs, conducted research, and supported the efforts of scientists and community leaders to bring their evidence and stories to light. And we did it in partnership with thousands of our members.<\/p>\n

\n\tSo why was methyl iodide approved?<\/h3>\n

Strawberries are big business in California, supplying a majority of the fruit for the entire country. And, in many cases, they are grown with the use of toxic pesticide fumigants<\/a> that sterilize the ground. When one of the most common fumigants (methyl bromide) was phased out under international treaty for depleating the ozone layer, pesticide manufacturers began pushing a new product: known carcinogen methyl iodide.<\/p>\n

In December 2010, just before leaving office, Gov. Schwarzenegger and then-chief pesticide regulator Mary-Anne Warmerdam approved the use methyl iodide. Scientists who were tasked with reviewing the chemical have stated that the “science was subverted” in the approval process.<\/p>\n

Now, Governor Jerry Brown has the opportunity to stand up for the science and take methyl iodide off the shelf.<\/p>\n

\n\tThe year in review<\/h3>\n

Here’s the chronology of some noteworthy events from the past year:<\/p>\n