The papery star of leaves capping the red fruit might be green, but the Cal- ifornia strawberry industry is not. At issue is methyl bromide, the ozone-depleting biocide berry growers use to keep their products looking "farm fresh," and to sterilize coastal soils prior to setting out young plants. The highly toxic gas is listed for worldwide ban this year under the Montreal Protocol, an international agreement aimed at reducing dependency on ozone-depleting chemicals.
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