California is the largest emitter of greenhouse gas sulfuryl fluoride

An agricultural worker sprays pesticide. Credit: Pixabay

The use of sulfuryl fluoride (SO2F2) as a pesticide and its subsequent release into the atmosphere has raised concerns due to its potent greenhouse gas properties. Until now, there hasn’t been a comprehensive understanding of how much SO2F2 is emitted across the U.S. A team of scientists including Lei Hu of NOAA’s Global Monitoring Laboratory and Scot Miller of Johns Hopkins University closely analyzed atmospheric measurements to estimate emissions. The new study, published in Communications Earth & Environment, reveals California as the largest emitter, particularly in coastal regions like Los Angeles, Orange, and San Diego counties.