As Paraquat Parkinson’s Disease Cases Continue To Emerge, Syngenta Will Halt Herbicide’s Production

Decision comes as several states were already working on legislation to ban Paraquat due to increasing evidence of its link to Parkinson’s disease.

The agricultural technology company Syngenta announced last week that it is ending production of the controversial weed killer Paraquat in June 2026, after years of litigation against the company over the failure to adequately warn that users may be at risk of developing Parkinson’s disease, even when all of the recommended safety features are followed.

Paraquat was first approved for use in the United States in 1964, when it was sold under the brand name Gramoxone. Although it has been banned in more than 70 countries due to its extreme toxicity, it remains widely used in the U.S. to kill broadleaf weeds and grasses before crops are planted. It is also used after harvest to dry out certain crops.

The herbicide has long been associated with severe poisoning risks and, in recent years, researchers have also linked exposure to Parkinson’s disease. Studies indicate that farm workers, landscapers and others who regularly spray, mix or handle the herbicide may face a higher risk of developing chronic and progressive neurological damage.

As a result, manufacturers now face thousands of Paraquat lawsuits in federal court alleging that Syngenta failed to warn users that the herbicide may increase the risk of Parkinson’s disease.

Syngenta Ends Paraquat Production

On March 3, Syngenta issued a press release announcing that it was ending global production of Paraquat. The company currently plans to phase out production by June of this year and plans to retool the only Paraquat manufacturing plant in Huddersfield, UK.

While the company still maintains that Paraquat is safe and effective, and claims it has chosen to move on to new technologies, the announcement comes as lawmakers in several states call for the weed killer to be banned, including Pennsylvania, Illinois, Missouri, New Jersey, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia and Utah.

“This decision is about focusing our resources where they deliver the greatest value for our business and our customers.”

– Mike Hollands, President of Syngenta UK, and head of global production and supply

The press release states that the company will work with customers to assist in transitioning away from Paraquat use.

Paraquat Parkinson’s Disease Lawsuits

The decision to end production also comes as plaintiffs and defendants in more than 6,000 Paraquat lawsuits continue to work to finalize terms of a global settlement agreement to compensate former users diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.

Since June 2021, all federal Paraquat lawsuits have been consolidated as part of a multidistrict litigation (MDL) in the Southern District of Illinois, where U.S. District Judge Nancy Rosenstengal has been working with the parties to prepare for a series of early “bellwether” trials, which are designed to gauge how juries may respond to evidence and testimony likely to be repeated throughout the litigation.

The first trial was expected to begin in January 2026. However, Syngenta reached a settlement agreement with the plaintiff, avoiding the trial at the last minute. The settlement came after attorneys announced in April 2025 that they were nearing a Paraquat Parkinson’s disease lawsuit settlement agreement to resolve all claims pending in the federal MDL. Judge Rosenstengal subsequently put a stay in place on all pretrial proceedings at the federal level. In December, she extended the Paraquat lawsuit stay until March 6, 2026.

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