Federal Lawmakers Seek Paraquat Ban Amid Parkinson’s Disease Lawsuits and Settlements

Similar bans have already been enacted in 70 countries worldwide, and Syngenta has announced plans to end global production of the weedkiller amid concerns about link between Paraquat and Parkinson’s disease.

A bipartisan pair of lawmakers want the U.S. to ban the use of Paraquat and to set a “zero tolerance” policy for the weedkiller’s residue in food, amid continuing concerns about the risk of Parkinson’s disease and other injuries linked to the herbicide.

U.S. Representatives Anna Paulina Luna, a Republican from Florida, and Chellie Pingree, a Maine Democrat, introduced legislation in the House on June 18 calling for passage of the Paraquat Prevention Act (PDF). If passed, the legislation would cancel the registration of all Paraquat products in the U.S. and permanently ban their re-registration.

With its introduction only days ago, it is too early yet to see how the legislation will be received. However, the bill has garnered support from both left-leaning environmental groups and supporters of the mostly conservative Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement, who want to see large reductions in pesticide exposure through food.

Paraquat Parkinson’s Disease Risks

Paraquat was originally introduced in 1964 under the brand name Gramoxone. It is a powerful, highly toxic herbicide that is still widely used in the U.S. to kill broadleaf weeds and grasses before crops are planted. It is also used as a desiccant to dry out some harvested crops before processing.

However, the lawmakers point to growing scientific evidence about the link between Paraquat and Parkinson’s disease, as well as other neurological damage linked to the herbicide. Data appears to indicate long-term exposure, such as with agricultural workers who spray, mix or handle the weedkiller, increases the risk of chronic and progressive neurological damage.

That same evidence has led to nearly 6,700 Paraquat lawsuits being filed against Syngenta and Chevron, the manufacturers, arguing that the companies knew about the herbicide’s links to Parkinson’s disease, but failed to warn consumers, fearing a loss in sales of the weedkiller, which was already known to be toxic and required special training and licensing.

The manufacturers are currently trying to finalize a Paraquat settlement that may resolve the litigation for an undisclosed amount.

Paraquat Ban Proposal

Luna and Pingree issued a press release on June 18 announcing the legislation, indicating that the bill is modeled after a Paraquat ban recently enacted in Vermont. They called the bill an effort to make Vermont’s policy national.

In addition to cancelling and prohibiting the registration of any Paraquat-based products, the Act would also ban the sale and use of existing Paraquat inventories and includes provisions that would revoke any current tolerances for Paraquat residue in food, setting the acceptable level to zero.

In the press release, Pingree notes that Paraquat bans are already in place in more than 70 countries and criticized the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for its review of the herbicide, which has been ongoing since 2022.

“Our bill cancels paraquat’s registration outright. No more reviews, no more waiting, no more excuses.”

– U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-Maine)

The American Parkinson Disease Association (APDA) also issued a press release in support of the legislation, calling the bill a necessary step toward the protection of agricultural workers and rural communities as a whole. The group called for its members and others to urge representatives to support the bill.

The call for the federal Paraquat ban comes only a couple months after Syngenta announced plans to phaseout Paraquat production worldwide, and after several states revealed plans to follow in Vermont’s footsteps.

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