Paraquat Ban

Paraquat, also known as paraquat dichloride, is a toxic chemical used as an herbicide. Paraquat helps control weeds in agricultural and non-agricultural settings. 

Manufactured by Syngenta and Chevron, paraquat was first produced for commercial purposes in 1961. Because of its high level of toxicity, paraquat is a restricted product. This means that only licensed applicators can use it.

In the U.S., paraquat is a liquid that’s available in various strengths. Several brand names used in agriculture contain paraquat dichloride. These brands include:

• Firestorm
• Gramoxone
• Helmquat
• Parazone

What are the human health risks of paraquat?

Multiple studies have linked the use of paraquat to serious health risks, including Parkinson’s disease, non-Hodgkin lymphoma and childhood leukemia. Ingesting large amounts of paraquat may also lead to other side effects, some of which can be life-threatening. These include:

• Abdominal pain
• Acute kidney failure
• Confusion
• Coma
• Dehydration
• Electrolyte abnormalities
• Fast heart rate
• Heart injuries
• Liver failure
• Low blood pressure
• Lung scarring
• Muscle weakness
• Nausea, vomiting and diarrhea
• Pulmonary edema
• Respiratory failure
• Seizures

Some symptoms can occur within a few hours of significant paraquat exposure, whereas other symptoms might take up to a few days to develop.

Because of paraquat’s acute toxicity and the risk it poses for accidental digestion, Syngenta adds blue dye to products sold in the U.S. The chemical also contains an odor and includes an agent that causes vomiting if ingested. However, paraquat sold outside the U.S. may not include these safeguards.

There are more than 70 paraquat-banned countries, including the European Union. Switzerland-based company Syngenta manufactures paraquat in China as well as the United Kingdom. Yet farmers in China, the U.K. and Switzerland aren’t permitted to use paraquat due to the chemical’s potential risks.

Here’s a list of countries that have banned or severely restricted paraquat usage:

Paraquat isn’t banned in the U.S., but only commercially licensed users are allowed to use the herbicide. Use of the chemical by homeowners or in residential areas isn’t lawful.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) also enforces several restrictions for the use of paraquat in agricultural settings. The agency approved these stronger protections in 2021, and they include:

• A limited aerial application of 350 acres or less per applicator per 24-hour period for all uses except cotton desiccation
• A maximum alfalfa application rate of one pound of paraquat cation per acre
• A seven-day restricted-entry interval (REI) for cotton desiccation
• A 48-hour REI for all crops and uses except cotton desiccation
• Mandatory spray drift management label language
• No use of human flaggers
• No pressurized handgun and backpack sprayer application methods
• The requirement of enclosed cabs if a more than 80-acre area is treated in a 24-hour period
• The requirement of a residential area drift buffer for all aerial applications

Packaging requirements in the U.S. highlight the toxicity of paraquat and the potential risks associated with paraquat products. Packaging must state that only certified pesticide applicators can use the product.

Possible paraquat ban in California

Regulators in California have taken a step toward a possible future ban of paraquat in the state. Introduced in January 2024, Assembly Bill 1963 originally sought to ban the use of paraquat in California beginning in January 2026.

However, Assembly members recently voted to amend the legislation so that it now requires the California Department of Pesticide Regulation to reevaluate paraquat by January 1, 2029. The agency may elect to retain, cancel or suspend the chemical’s registration or the agency may create new restrictions. 

The bill requiring the reevaluation of paraquat usage was signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom in late September 2024.

Plaintiffs have filed thousands of paraquat lawsuits against Syngenta, Chevron and distributor FMC Corporation. 

Nearly 5,900 cases are currently pending in a federal MDL, and several hundred state-level cases are pending in Pennsylvania, Delaware, Illinois, Washington and California. Additionally, many paraquat lawsuits have been filed in the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas.

Many of these paraquat lawsuits claim that these companies misrepresented the chemical’s impact on people’s health. Numerous lawsuits also allege that the manufacturers of paraquat were aware of the harm it could cause users but failed to inform them of this. 

The plaintiffs in these cases include farmers, agricultural workers and others who’ve come into contact with paraquat. The plaintiffs have overwhelmingly suffered neurological injuries, including Parkinson’s disease. In plenty of instances, they’ve also endured permanent physical injuries, mental anguish and life-long disabilities. Many victims likewise have incurred significant expenses toward medical care and treatment.

How does paraquat exposure happen?

Agricultural workers can be exposed to a range of paraquat amounts over time. Workers have typically applied paraquat through:

• Aerial sprayers or crop dusters
• Hand-held sprayers
• Knapsack sprayers
• Tractor-drawn pressurized tanks
• Trucks with pressurized tanks

Even exposure to low doses of paraquat can cause neurological injuries. The chemical can enter the body through absorption, inhalation or ingestion. Once in the body, the chemical can enter the brain and cause damage to dopamine-producing neurons. 

Those at risk include not only agricultural workers but people that live near farms where paraquat herbicides are used.

Are there alternatives to paraquat?

Growers can use alternative chemicals to control grasses and broadleaf weed seedlings. These alternative chemical herbicide options include:

• Carfentrazone-ethyl
• Dicamba
• Diquat
• Diuron
• Glufosinate ammonium
• Glyphosate
• Mesotrione
• Metribuzin

Keep in mind that while these serve as alternatives to paraquat, some may pose a different set of risks to public health. For example, glyphosate is a chemical found in Roundup®, which thousands of lawsuits say heightens one’s risk of cancer.

A World Wildlife Fund Germany report recommends lowering the use rates of paraquat to help minimize the potentially negative impacts of the chemical. Another safety measure recommended in the report is to use spray adjuvants to make chemicals more effective (therefore reducing the need for frequent use).

Our attorneys have extensive experience litigating toxic exposure cases. We have represented individuals, families, communities and states that are seeking justice after they were unknowingly exposed to dangerous chemicals.

Some of our recent cases have involved representing people who developed non-Hodgkin lymphoma after using Roundup weedkiller. We’ve also recently represented women who have suffered from reproductive cancer after using chemical hair relaxers.

In addition, our firm has a strong history of representing veterans exposed to toxic chemicals in several matters including the ongoing litigation regarding contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.

Learn more about our toxic exposure litigation experience.