Three occupationally exposed cases of severe methyl bromide poisoning: accident caused by a gas leak during the fumigation of a folklore museum.

Methyl bromide (CH 3 Br) is widely used as a plant quarantine fumigant and as a soil fumigant, but in 1992 it was designated by the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer. According to the Montreal Protocol, its use is to be fully phased out by 2005 in developed countries and by 2015 in developing countries. However, its use is still currently being allowed after abolishment for such purposes as quarantine processing, shipping pretreatment, some essential uses, and emergency processing since an alternative substitute that is as easy to use as methyl bromide, has an equivalent effect, and is effective against a variety of pests, does not exist. For this reason, it continues to be used in Japan. It is still frequently used, and poisoning accidents caused by its use are still common. We herein report three cases of severe methyl bromide poisoning thought to have been caused by the presence of the victims in an adjoining room during the fumigation of a folklore museum.