Amid lawsuits filed by thousands of farmers linking the herbicide to Parkinson’s disease, the EPA is reconsidering its analysis of paraquat’s risks.
Source: https://civileats.com/2023/03/22/paraquat-the-deadliest-chemical-in-us-agriculture-goes-on-trial/
A combine on the Cox ranch in Washington state. Jon Cox is one of thousands of farmers with Parkinson’s disease suing Chevron and Syngenta. (Photo courtesy of Shirley Cox)
The herbicide paraquat was sold to farmers as revolutionary. Its introduction into the marketplace in 1962 coincided with a growing awareness of overplowing soil, year after year, until it degrades. Looking to avoid another Dust Bowl, farmers were eager for ways to keep their soil intact. Chevron, a distributor of paraquat at the time, jumped on this opportunity, claiming the chemical was necessary for “no-till” farming. The idea, as Chevron branded it, was relatively simple: You don’t need a plow when there’s a toxicant that can kill any weed, disrupting the very process of photosynthesis, prepping a field without moving the soil.
“Let paraquat be your plow,” a 1972 Chevron advertisement in No Till Farmer, the leading resource on no-till methods, urged soil-conscious farmers. The chemical giant’s marketing edict turned into practice. “Basically, no tillage means substituting the contact herbicide Paraquat for your plow and other tillage tools, in the preparation of your seed bed,” reads an educational pamphlet distributed by Chevron in 1979. In 1984, an op-ed in The New York Times by a Chevron representative proclaimed that “the plow has been replaced with the use of herbicides,” celebrating the “quiet revolution.”
There are many ways to effectively practice no-till farming, a suite of practices aimed at minimizing soil disturbance, and one that many farmers consider a key component to regenerative or “climate-smart” farming. Some no-till farmers don’t use herbicides, opting for tools like the roller crimper to manage weeds. But most farmers rely on herbicides to replace tillage, a form of weed control. And although glyphosate (aka Roundup) has become the herbicide of choice for most farmers practicing no-till, paraquat has hung on, in part because it kills weeds that have become resistant to glyphosate.
In fact, paraquat is still one of the most popular herbicides in the U.S., applied in the greatest quantities to fields of soybeans, cotton, and grapes, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. It’s also the deadliest pesticide used in U.S. agriculture, capable of killing a human with just a sip, as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) warns. As far back as 1983, the journalist Andrew Revkin warned that “the potent weedkiller is killing people,” as he starkly detailed its link to suicides and accidental deaths. A considerable body of evidence links the toxicant to Parkinson’s disease, a progressive neurological condition with no cure.
Observing these dangers to life and health, more than 50 countries have now banned paraquat, including the E.U., U.K., China, and Brazil. Despite longtime calls for the EPA to ban paraquat, it remains legal on U.S. farms if those who apply it receive certified training, and it is often applied by farmworkers who have no say over its use. Yet, the next couple of years could prove to be critical for the future of paraquat, which has fallen under sharper scrutiny, as it faces a growing number of legal challenges.
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As for now, spring is approaching. Farmers across the U.S. will soon be readying their fields for planting by spraying paraquat. If it’s like years past, that means they could spray over 10 million pounds of the most toxic chemical in U.S. agriculture
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Paraquat, also known as paraquat dichloride, is a highly toxic herbicide used to control weeds and grass. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency restricted paraquat use to commercially licensed users. Paraquat poisoning through ingestion, inhalation or skin exposure can lead to serious health problems, including death.
Paraquat has been used in the United States since 1964. It’s one of the world’s most widely used weedkillers. The herbicide is popular for commercial farming because it is a powerful plant killer and breaks down quickly once it enters soil.
Switzerland-based Syngenta is one of the largest makers of paraquat. The herbicide comes in several brands such as Gramoxone, Helmquat, Firestorm, Parazone and others.
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Paraquat Lawsuits
Paraquat lawsuits claim that paraquat, a popular weed and grass killer, caused people to develop Parkinson’s disease. Lawsuits claim manufacturers knew about the risk, but failed to warn the public. People who developed Parkinson’s disease after long-term paraquat exposure may be eligible for compensation.
Paraquat is an herbicide (plant killer) used to kill weeds and grasses in commercial agriculture. Growers use it on crops such as corn, soybeans, wheat, cotton, grapes and alfalfa. In 2017, growers used over 10 million pounds of paraquat, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
Some of the largest manufacturers of paraquat products include Syngenta, Chevron Chemical Company, Drexel Chemical Company and Helm Agro. Paraquat brands in the U.S. include Gramoxone, Quick-Quat, Parazone, Cyclone, Helmquat, Bonfire Herbicide and Firestorm.
This herbicide is highly toxic and one small accidental sip can cause serious health problems and can kill a human. Because of paraquat’s toxicity, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency restricted its use to specially trained, licensed applicators.
Who Is Eligible to File a Paraquat Lawsuit?
Pickers, growers, licensed applicators and other agricultural workers who were exposed to paraquat and developed Parkinson’s disease may be eligible to file a lawsuit against Syngenta and other manufacturers.
Consider contacting an attorney if you were diagnosed with Parkinson’s and you:
- Used paraquat
- Worked for a company that used paraquat and were exposed to it
- Worked for a company licensed to use paraquat
- Were trained and licensed to use paraquat
Paraquat Lawsuit Cases
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Contact: Daniela Rodriguez
 drodriguez@consumernotice.org +1 407-966-2041 consumernotice.org |
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