Methyl bromide (MB) had been routinely used in quarantine and pre-shipment (QPS), despite of strong recommendations to replace technically feasible alternatives of it by International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) and current hazardous issues in workplace related post-fumigation process of imported perishable commodities. Due to insufficient ventilations post-fumigation on imported fruits such as citrus, fumigators and related workers in cold storage, load/unload and packing room has been exposed to hazardous conditions (5-100 ppm, MB’s TWA_TLV = 1 ppm). It’s time to replace newly developed phytosanitary disinfestation methods such liquid ethyl formate (EF) with N2 application. It could provide for safer workplace involved on and post-fumigation process, cost-effectiveness as well as meet the environmental friendly solution.

• Byung-Ho Lee(USDA ARS, Hilo, Hawaii, USA)