Farmworker housing is often located near the fields where workers labor, potentially subjecting whole families to health-threatening exposure levels. Over 9 million pounds of methyl bromide are used per year in Florida, primarily to kill pests affecting tomato fields. Workers in the fields should be provided with adequate protective clothing when working in, near, or around the site of methyl bromide application. Moreover, methyl bromide will be eliminated under the Clean Air Act in 2005 because it is a potent destroyer of the Earth's ozone layer. The consumer and environmental groups have set up a hotline and website where people can report if they may have been impacted by methyl bromide or for those who want to learn more about avoiding the pesticide.
Materials are in English and Spanish.