41. In fact, the Bush administration is trying to reinterpret the agreement to avoid phasing out the pesticide methyl bromide . 42. New Zealand will push at the conference for an international phase-out of the highly destructive ozone chemical methyl bromide . 43. However, countries that say they have a critical need for methyl bromide and have no alternatives can seek exemptions. 44. Other American science agencies and the UN say a methyl bromide ban would be the most effective remaining action. 45. But local and international politics have allowed methyl bromide to elude elimination the way some stubborn bacteria resist antibiotics. 46. EPA facts on methyl bromide : www . epa . gov / spdpublc / mbr / qa . html 47. Scheffrahn said emergency use of methyl bromide fumigant shouldn't be affected by a looming 2005 phaseout of the gas. 48. She said the alternatives proposed to methyl bromide were toxic, would seep into groundwater and could affect drinking water. 49. The California strawberry test is one of several around the country conducted by scientists scrambling to replace methyl bromide . 50. Although methyl bromide is on a list of substances regulated by the treaty, the Bush administration has twice sought exemptions.
