Paraquat Poisoning Dangers Noted by EPA

The toxic herbicide known as paraquat is used in commercial chemical-based farming to keep weeds and grasses at bay. Paraquat poisoning may lead to serious problems including major organ failure. The chemical is so dangerous that the Environmental Protection Agency warns that one small sip can kill a person, and there is no known antidote.

One major concern of paraquat exposure is the potential development of Parkinson’s disease—the central nervous system disorder that can cause shaking, stiffness, and walking difficulties. Studies have suggested that farmers and agricultural workers that mixed or applied the chemical were at an increased risk for developing Parkinson’s. In a 2017 letter to the EPA’s Pesticide Re-Evaluation Division, the Unified Parkinson’s Advocacy Council lobbied for eliminating paraquat from the American agriculture system due to the associated risks. At the time, 32 countries had already banned the substance.

People exposed to paraquat over the past several decades have started to speak out by filing lawsuits against paraquat manufacturers. The lawsuit allegations assert that companies like Syngenta, Chevron, and Growmark that manufacture paraquat brands such as Gramoxone, Parazone, Helmquat, and Bonfire Herbicide, withheld safety warnings associated with Parkinson’s disease. 

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