Quarantine and Pre-shipment (Q/PS) means goods entering and exiting a country under strict international guidelines.  In the US, these are the phytosanitary regulations of the USDA.  Pre-shipment is the term used to describe goods that are held for a maximum of 21 days after fumigation before export.

The USDA has a very specific treatment schedule for methyl bromide for each of the goods that may enter or exit US ports.  Some of the goods fumigated with methyl bromide that enter and exit US ports are:

Artichokes, asparagus, bags, bananas, basil, beans, blackberries, blueberries, brassware, broccoli, burlap, cabbage, cantaloupe, celery, ceramic, cherries, chestnuts, chicory, citron, coconut, containers, coriander, cotton, endive, equipment, fava beans, flowers, garlic, ginger root and spice, grapefruits, grapes, handicrafts, herbs, honeydew, household goods, iron, jute, kiwi, lemons, lentils, lettuce, limes, logs, machinery, melons, oak logs, okra, onions, oranges, palm trees, peas, peaches, pears, peppers, pineapples, plantains, plants, pumpkins, radicchio, radishes, raspberries, rice, seeds, shallots, snails, snow sundry items, peas, squashes, steel, stones, strawberries, thyme, tobacco, tomatoes, watermelon, wood and yams.

Not all of the above goods are fumigated every time they enter or leave the US.  The fumigation schedule is dependent upon the source country and the target pest (invasive species).  In addition, methyl bromide is also used to fumigate goods on an "emergency" basis and this use is allowed for by the Montreal Protocol.  For example, emergency use of methyl bromide can be applied to cocoa beans and coffee.  Unfortunately data is not publicly available for the emergency use of methyl bromide.  The most recent data for Q/PS use of methyl bromide is available from the US EPA¹:

Lbs/Yr Use of Methyl Bromide for Quarantine and Pre-shipment Fumigations

Post Harvest Imports   =   502,075 Lbs of MB per year:

                               Fruits and Vegetables              445,584

                               Propagative Plant Material           3,778

                               Cut flowers and greenery           12,551                                                      

                               Tile, marble etc.                        21,522

                               Guar gum                                   5,130   

                               Bamboo                                     6,222

                               Wood                                        2,778

                               Cotton                                        3,317

                               Miscellaneous                            1,194

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Post Harvest  Exports =   554,722 Lbs of  MB per Yr

                             Cherries to Japan                        59,855                     

                             Solid Wood Packaging               100,119

                             Logs                                         324,672                                               

                             Miscellaneous CA exports           70,077

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Total Methyl Bromide Use for Quarantine and Pre-shipment for 2005 = 1,056,797 Lbs of MB/Yr

 (Imports and Exports only)

1.   "Qualitative Assessment of the Impact of Changes in the Use of Methyl Bromide for Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) Purposes           in Support of the Registration Eligibility Decision (RED).  Authors:  Becker, J.; Chism, W.; Cook, C.; Kaul, M.   United States Enviromental Protection Agency, Office of Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances.   Memorandum dated July 26, 2006, page 9.

Small Chamber Fumigation

Portable Scrubber System

Soil Emissions

Anthrax Fumigation

Reactive Separations