️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️  About 70 percent of strawberries grown in Australia are being treated with a pesticide that is supposed to have been banned across the world because it depletes the ozone layer.<unk> About 70 percent of strawberries grown in Australia are being treated with a pesticide that is supposed to have been banned across the world because it depletes the ozone layer. Nine strawberry growers in Victoria's Yarra Valley are still using methyl bromide to fumigate crops, despite it being banned by the United Nations Montreal Protocol more than two decades ago, reports the ABC. ️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️ <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> But the Victorian growers, who produce 100 million strawberry runners a year, are still using almost 30 tons of the pesticide annually.<unk>But the Victorian growers, who produce 100 million strawberry runners a year, are still using almost 30 tons of the pesticide annually. They claim alternatives would drive business into the ground and cost 15,000 jobs, so they regularly apply for a critical use exemption from the United Nations.<unk> They claim alternatives would drive business into the ground and cost 15,000 jobs, so they regularly apply for a critical use exemption from the United Nations. Methyl bromide, an odorless and colourless gas, was banned because it depletes the ozone layer.<unk> Methyl bromide, an odorless and colourless gas, was banned because it depletes the ozone layer. In fact it's the best environmental gain that's been made,' Dr Ian Porter, UN Methyl Bromide Technical Options committee's co-chair, told the ABC. 'Internationally, we've gotten rid of 85 per cent of methyl bromide, and it's a great win for mankind <unk> in fact it's the best environmental gain that's been made,' Dr Ian Porter, UN Methyl Bromide Technical Options committee's co-chair, told the ABC. 'Internationally, we've gotten rid of 85 per cent of methyl bromide, and it's a great win for mankind <unk> in fact it's the best environmental gain that's been made,' Dr Ian Porter, UN Methyl Bromide Technical Options committee's co-chair, told the ABC. It's frustrating... but we don't want industries to fall over economically or technically. 'It's frustrating... but we don't want industries to fall over economically or technically. It's frustrating... but we don't want industries to fall over economically or technically. ️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️ ️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️ The Victorian farms still using methyl bromide - who are part of the Toolangi Certified Strawberry Runner Growers' Cooperative - said the industry had spent $700,000 on research to find alternatives to the pesticide.<unk> The Victorian farms still using methyl bromide - who are part of the Toolangi Certified Strawberry Runner Growers' Cooperative - said the industry had spent $700,000 on research to find alternatives to the pesticide.<unk> The Victorian farms still using methyl bromide - who are part of the Toolangi Certified Strawberry Runner Growers' Cooperative - said the industry had spent $700,000 on research to find alternatives to the pesticide. The soils at Toolangi are clays with high organic matter, and alternative treatments used in other parts of Australia don't work well in these conditions, especially in cold temperatures,<unk>they said.<unk>The soils at Toolangi are clays with high organic matter, and alternative treatments used in other parts of Australia don't work well in these conditions, especially in cold temperatures,<unk>they said. ąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąąą
<unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> It was banned by the United Nations in 1989 because it deplets the ozone layer.<unk> It was banned by the United Nations in 1989 because it depletes the ozone layer.<unk> Australia agreed to phase out environmentally damaging gas by 2005. <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> ️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️