Methyl Bromide alternatives and Methyl Bromide Technical Options Committee Files of Michelle Marcotte and Marcotte Consulting : records, 1991-2006

In 1991 after methyl bromide was listed as an ozone depleting substance, Marcotte was asked by the government of Canada to present three papers on the use of irradiation as an alternative to methyl bromide at a conference between the governments of Canada and the United States. The Methyl Bromide Technical Options Committee (MBTOC) was soon created. Marcotte was appointed co-chair in 2005 and when the committee was divided into subcommittes, she became chair of the MBTOC Quarantine, Structures and Commodities. In the years of 1992-2003, MBTOC's work mainly consisted of obtaining, assessing and summarizing the research on the uses of methyl bromide, the technical efficacy of alternatives and the economic costs. This work was reported twice annually in the May and October reports of the Technical and Economic Assessment Panel reports. Every four years the group prepares an Assessment report which covers in very considerable detail all the research on methyl bromide uses and alternatives for those uses. Howeverr, by 2003, methyl bromide had still not been phased out for most of its uses in developed countries (referred to as Non A(5) countries in the Protocol), which had a phase out date of 2005. (The phase out date for developing countries (referred to as A(5) countries in the Protocol) was 2015. In each case there were step-down reductions which reduced the allowed use of methyl bromide according to the Protocol. Once the phase out date was reached for methyl bromide (in 2005) for developing countries, MBTOC role morphed from a technical and economic research assessment and policy advisory role to that of assessing and making recommendations on the critical use nominations submitted by Parties to the Montreal Protocol which then fed into Decisions by the Parties on critical use exemptions to the phase out. This work is done in addition to continuing to assess and report on methyl bromide uses, alternatives and their adoption.

In 1991 after methyl bromide was listed as an ozone depleting substance, Marcotte was asked by the government of Canada to present three papers on the use of irradiation as an alternative to methyl bromide at a conference between the governments of Canada and the United States. The Methyl Bromide Technical Options Committee (MBTOC) was soon created. Marcotte was appointed co-chair in 2005 and when the committee was divided into subcommittes, she became chair of the MBTOC Quarantine, Structures and Commodities. In the years of 1992-2003, MBTOC's work mainly consisted of obtaining, assessing and summarizing the research on the uses of methyl bromide, the technical efficacy of alternatives and the economic costs. This work was reported twice annually in the May and October reports of the Technical and Economic Assessment Panel reports. Every four years the group prepares an Assessment report which covers in very considerable detail all the research on methyl bromide uses and alternatives for those uses. Howeverr, by 2003, methyl bromide had still not been phased out for most of its uses in developed countries (referred to as Non A(5) countries in the Protocol), which had a phase out date of 2005. (The phase out date for developing countries (referred to as A(5) countries in the Protocol) was 2015. In each case there were step-down reductions which reduced the allowed use of methyl bromide according to the Protocol. Once the phase out date was reached for methyl bromide (in 2005) for developing countries, MBTOC role morphed from a technical and economic research assessment and policy advisory role to that of assessing and making recommendations on the critical use nominations submitted by Parties to the Montreal Protocol which then fed into Decisions by the Parties on critical use exemptions to the phase out. This work is done in addition to continuing to assess and report on methyl bromide uses, alternatives and their adoption.

Michelle Marcotte and Marcotte Consulting.