We can solve this with a tax and passing a law allowing termites to just do their thing
California emits more of this little-known greenhouse gas than all other US states combined
California, a state known for advancing some of the strictest climate policies in the country, is the nation’s top emitter of a little-known — but very persistent — greenhouse gas, a new study has found.
Sulfuryl fluoride, a common pesticide for treating termites and other wood-infesting insects, lingers in the atmosphere for more than 40 years — trapping heat and sending it back down to Earth, according to the study, published Wednesday in Communications Earth & Environment.
And the Golden State is responsible for an enormous share of those sulfuryl fluoride releases, accounting for as much as 12 percent worldwide, per the study. All other U.S. states combined contribute up to 5 percent of those global emissions, the researchers found. (snip)
They found that between 60 percent and 85 percent of sulfuryl fluoride emissions in the U.S. come from California — and predominantly form Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego counties.
The group spent a lot of time (and probably taxpayer money) to travel all over the country (I hope it was in EVs and on trains) to come up with this study. Why? It’s not that bad of a greenhouse gas. It’s minor. So, what’s the point of the study?
Because certain basic solutions and bio-based organic solvents can absorb and destroy sulfuryl fluoride, these substances could be situated at the exhaust vents of fumigated structures, the authors noted.
Such a step, they continued, could also reduce exposure risks to area residents and fumigation workers.
“California’s track record shows that it’s been looking at out-of-the-box, creative ways to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions,” Miller said.
“Knowing better what the emissions are and what impact they have will give the state the information it needs to help holistically develop greenhouse gas reduction strategies.”
When they start throwing out terms like holistically they mean “more laws” and “more taxpayer funds for more studies”. I think California should ban the use of sulfuryl fluoride, should be fun to watch the pest extermination outcome.
That should be “and predominantly from very liberal and Democratic Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego counties.”
At least it’s not CO2. California plans to be Carbon Neutral, not pollution neutral or Sulfuryl neutral.
Perhaps the authors believe those counties were ‘formed’ from sulfuryl fluoride! Makes won wander about the editorial processes of the Comm Earth & Environment journal.
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