Carbon Purging

Researchers at MIT have identified a potent new greenhouse gas- sulfuryl fluoride (SO₂F₂). Approved in 2003 by the EPA, it is a gas currently used for fumigation, especially of strawberries, and it has the potential to contribute significantly to anthropogenic global warming in the future.

Its lifetime is approximately 36 years, which is eight times longer than had been thought before. It is about 4,800 times more potent in trapping heat than carbon dioxide.

Its production has not yet reached high levels, which is good news, and it only makes up a very small percentage of our atmosphere. It has increased by about 5% per year from 1.08 ppt in 1999 to 1.53 ppt in May 2007 in the Northern Hemisphere, and from .3 ppt (parts per trillion) in 1978 to 1.35 ppt in May 2007 in the Southern Hemisphere. With average sulfuryl fluoride ratios in Earth's atmosphere of 1.4 ppt, its greenhouse gas effect is small. However, with a high global warming potential similar to trichlorofluoromethane (CFC-11), and with increased use in the future being very likely due to industry using it as a replacement fumigant, now would be a great time to find a substitute, or to start a cap and trade program on it.