{"id":22083,"date":"2018-02-12T00:00:20","date_gmt":"2018-02-12T04:00:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/?p=22083"},"modified":"2018-02-12T12:23:57","modified_gmt":"2018-02-12T16:23:57","slug":"take-action-tell-epa-ban-paraquat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/2018\/02\/take-action-tell-epa-ban-paraquat\/","title":{"rendered":"Take Action: Tell EPA to Ban Paraquat"},"content":{"rendered":"

(Beyond Pesticides<\/em>, February 12, 2018)\u00a0 The most recent findings<\/a> on the development of Parkinson\u2019s disease after \"\"exposure to the highly toxic paraquat add to the well-established<\/a> body of scientific literature linking the herbicide to Parkinson\u2019s \u2014 which should lead to finally eliminating the use of the herbicide in the U.S. The chemical was banned in the European Union<\/a> in 2007, and many health groups, including Beyond Pesticides and The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson\u2019s Research,<\/a><\/u> are calling on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to stop the use of paraquat by denying its upcoming reregistration.<\/p>\n

In addition to its connection with Parkinson\u2019s disease, paraquat is known to be highly acutely toxic<\/a>. By generating free radicals, it essentially burns its way through the body, targeting the lungs \u2014causing lung fibrosis\u2014 and other organs. Most acutely toxic exposures result in death, sometimes delayed by as much as three weeks.<\/p>\n

Although paraquat is a restricted use pesticide (RUP), EPA is proposing to eliminate the minimum age for applying RUPs, which would permit teenagers to use it.<\/p>\n

Tell EPA and Congress to ban paraquat!<\/a>\u00a0This link will send the following message to EPA and your Congressional delegation:<\/strong><\/p>\n

I urge EPA to join other countries in banning the use of paraquat.<\/p>\n

Recent research confirms paraquat\u2019s link to Parkinson\u2019s disease. Parkinson\u2019s disease, which affects an estimated 750,000 to one million Americans, is a chronic and progressive neurodegenerative brain disorder caused by a loss of neurons and dopamine, the neurotransmitter they produce. There is currently no cure or therapy to slow, stop, or reverse the progression of the disease.<\/p>\n

Research linking Parkinson\u2019s disease with exposure to paraquat has been mounting for years. Last month, in the journal Cell Reports<\/em> (Chinta, et al.) reported that exposure to paraquat induces senescence of cells (loss of the cells\u2019 power), which may account for paraquat\u2019s neurotoxicity. Other recent studies show:<\/p>\n