The Americans worry that European objections may bog the product launch down in bureaucracy. Greenpeace hopes to use its formidable public relations skills to mobilise public opinion and tighten laws on genetic engineering generally. Calif. Gov. Pete Wilson has called a special session of the Legislature, beginning Jan. 3, to extend the use of pesticides for California farmers and utilities. Wilson directed lawmakers to take up legislation that would allow continued registration of methyl bromide and pentachlorophenal until studies on their health effects are completed. In a prepared statement.
Utilities use pentachlorophenal to protect power and telephone poles from wood-eating insects.
Environmentalists denounced Wilson's action, saying it would put thousands of Californians at greater risk of toxic poisoning, birth defects and skin cancer. According to one estimate, California used 15 million pounds of methyl bromide in 1994, mostly to fumigate strawberries. The Montreal Protocol of 1992 declared methyl bromide an ozone depleter, and the participating nations agreed to freeze production and use of the chemical at 1991 levels by 1995. Existing California law requires manufacturers to submit the results of health effect studies on pesticides to the state for evaluation by March 30, 1996. The law suspends registration of methyl bromide if the required studies are not submitted by that deadline.