[Pil-pc-oceania] fumigated pallets - conclusion

[Deb Guildner]

Hi Linda,

A very good research effort.

I think early editions (1980's) of Peter Bennett's 'Organic Gardening' 
book.recommened using methyl bromide under black plastic to fumigate soil 
before commencing organic gardening. The advice was withdrawn from the later 
imprints.

Arguably it would not have been very organic to use a residual toxic 
pesticide in one's food patch.

Deb






----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Linda Shewan" <linda.shewan at bryn.com.au>
To: "permacultue discussion list" 
<pil-pc-oceania at lists.permacultureinternational.org>
Sent: Tuesday, August 21, 2007 1:05 PM
Subject: Re: [Pil-pc-oceania] fumigated pallets - conclusion


> Thought I would update you from our investigations in case anyone else 
> uses them or is thinking of doing so:
>
> Pallets are treated one of three ways -  fumigated with methyl bromide, - 
> heat treated, - "debarked" , prior to being imported to Australia. The 
> method used is usually printed on the pallet.
>
> Methyl bromide is a toxic pesticide (and ozone depleting) that is injected 
> into soil before planting strawberries, grapes almonds and other crops, 
> and to kill pests in stored commodities in agricultural shipments and in 
> buildings.  As a gas it used to fumigate pallets and is used in 
> pre-shipment applications, applied no less than 21 days prior to export 
> (in NZ).
>
> Reports of acute toxicity seem confined to those who inhale the gas up to 
> two days after application.  Chronic toxicity is reported in people who 
> are repeatedly exposed to the gas over long periods of time - usually 
> those who apply it.
>
> It may build up in soils due to repeated applications.
>
> As it is used as a gas for fumigation purposes and most of the gassing off 
> seems to happen within a relatively short period of time we have decided 
> that aged pallets of this nature will be ok for windbreak purposes.
>
> If anyone has anything more to add, would be happy to hear.
>
> Cheers, Linda
>
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