{"id":41764,"date":"2026-06-10T00:01:21","date_gmt":"2026-06-10T04:01:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/?p=41764"},"modified":"2026-06-09T11:38:59","modified_gmt":"2026-06-09T15:38:59","slug":"paraquat-linked-to-parkinsons-disease-in-u-s-county-with-among-the-highest-rates-supporting-call-for-a-ban","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/beyondpesticides.org\/dailynewsblog\/2026\/06\/paraquat-linked-to-parkinsons-disease-in-u-s-county-with-among-the-highest-rates-supporting-call-for-a-ban\/","title":{"rendered":"Paraquat Linked to Parkinson\u2019s Disease in U.S. County with Among the Highest Rates, Supporting Call for a Ban"},"content":{"rendered":"

(<\/span>Beyond Pesticides<\/span><\/i>, June\u00a010, 2026)\u00a0Adding to the wide body of science connecting\u00a0the weed killer\u00a0paraquat to deleterious health and environmental effects,\u00a0<\/span>Investigate Midwest<\/span><\/i><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/i>recently released an investigative\u00a0news\u00a0article connecting air emissions of\u00a0paraquat\u00a0from\u00a0chemical\u00a0plants in the Mississippi Basin\u00a0to\u00a0<\/span>Parkinson\u2019s disease<\/span><\/a>, among other adverse health effects. The herbicide is also fatal to humans with a single sip, as documented in the article, entitled \u201cThis herbicide is so toxic it\u2019s been banned in over 70 countries. But plants in the South are releasing it into the air.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In capturing the story of\u00a0Wayne County, Mississippi,\u00a0where\u00a0approximately\u00a020,000 people\u00a0live\u00a0surrounded by forest and farmland,<\/span>\u00a0Investigate Midwest<\/span><\/i>\u00a0sheds light on the connection between the\u00a0Sipcam\u00a0Agro\u00a0plant that processes\u00a0and emits\u00a0paraquat.\u00a0The plant\u00a0is\u00a0located in\u00a0the county\u00a0with\u00a0among\u00a0the\u00a0highest\u00a0U.S.\u00a0rates of Parkinson\u2019s disease deaths,\u00a0the top 7% of all U.S. counties.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Background\u00a0on Paraquat<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Paraquat\u00a0has been on the market since the 1960s, created\u00a0by a predecessor of Syngenta.\u00a0In March\u00a0of this year,\u00a0<\/span>Syngenta announced<\/span><\/a>\u00a0it would stop producing paraquat in the UK\u00a0after\u00a0thousands of lawsuits, primarily by farmers and farmworkers,\u00a0cite Syngenta\u2019s\u00a0<\/span>failure\u00a0to\u00a0warn<\/span><\/a>\u00a0of adverse health effects like\u00a0Parkinson\u2019s disease.\u00a0Stopping the production of paraquat in the UK will not prevent paraquat from entering\u00a0the U.S., as \u201cother companies and other facilities\u2014like the one in Wayne County\u2014will fill the gap, likely increasing the amount of paraquat they handle.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

According to\u00a0previous\u00a0data from the\u00a0<\/span>U.S. Geological Survey<\/span><\/a>,\u00a0approximately\u00a011\u00a0to\u00a017 million pounds\u00a0of paraquat\u00a0were\u00a0sprayed annually\u00a0in 2017, which may be much higher in recent years. Despite bans in\u00a0over 70 countries, including China, Brazil, and throughout the European Union\u00a0(EU), the U.S. continues to utilize paraquat in agriculture. With inaction\u00a0in\u00a0the U.S.\u00a0through the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA),\u00a0states are stepping in with bans.\u00a0(See more on regulatory deficiencies\u00a0<\/span>here<\/span><\/a>.)\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Just this year, 13 states have introduced bills to\u00a0ban\u00a0or restrict paraquat. Most recently, the\u00a0<\/span>ban in Vermont successfully passed<\/span><\/a>\u00a0on May 26, making it the first state to implement a paraquat ban.\u00a0This bill will ban the use or sale of paraquat starting on November 1 of this year, while farmers can get written exceptions for certain crops until the end of 2030.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Research has proven that paraquat is not needed for agriculture. A 2023 study, published in\u00a0<\/span>Environmental Science and Pollution Research<\/span><\/i><\/a>, finds that \u201celiminating paraquat will save lives without reducing agricultural productivity,\u201d further supporting additional scientific literature that showcases the viability of alternative agricultural and land management practices, such as with organic. (See\u00a0<\/span>here<\/span><\/a>.)<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Despite decades of research and campaigns to remove paraquat from the\u00a0U.S.\u00a0market, this chemical continues\u00a0to be used\u00a0domestically,\u00a0sprayed on millions of acres of farmland each year. \u201cAbout 35% of large commercial farms in the U.S. now use paraquat to kill weeds and dry up crops for harvest, often soybean, corn and cotton,\u201d the\u00a0<\/span>Investigate Midwest\u00a0<\/span><\/i>article points out.\u00a0\u201cIt can quickly clear large tracts of\u00a0land\u00a0without having to pay laborers to till\u00a0[or\u00a0adopt\u00a0intercropping or\u00a0mulching systems\u00a0typically\u00a0used in organic management]. Use of the cheap, broad-spectrum herbicide has more than tripled between 2006 and 2017, a surge the EPA has attributed to a rise in\u00a0<\/span>resistance<\/span><\/a>\u00a0to another popular herbicide called\u00a0<\/span>glyphosate<\/span><\/a>, also known as Roundup.\u201d\u00a0Swapping one poison for the other when resistance occurs, or as individual compounds are banned, perpetuates the\u00a0<\/span>pesticide treadmill<\/span><\/a>\u00a0and ignores the availability of safer alternatives.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Paraquat Emissions<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

While paraquat is not produced in the U.S. due to manufacturing costs being much lower in other countries, millions of pounds of paraquat enter the U.S., mainly through the southern states. As the article states: \u201cThe majority of paraquat entering the U.S. between 2017 and 2024 \u2013 398 million out of 583 million pounds \u2013 came through the Port of New Orleans… The number of shipments has also been increasing. In 2006, the Port of New Orleans imported 14 shipments of paraquat. By 2016, it was 144 shipments, and in 2025, 449, averaging more than one a day, according to data provided by\u00a0<\/span>Coming Clean<\/span><\/a>, a nonprofit environmental health collaborative. Most of those shipments were by Syngenta.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The chemical plant in Wayne County, Mississippi, is allowed by law to emit paraquat, as it is not a federally regulated air pollutant. Since Sipcam Agro took over the facility in 2023, in 2024, “airborne emissions soared to over 47,000 pounds: enough paraquat to treat a tract of land larger than the city of Atlanta. The plant released a combined 81,667 pounds of the toxic herbicide into the air in 2023 and 2024. They were reported as fugitive emissions, likely meaning they unintentionally leaked during the industrial processes.\u201d Notably, Wayne County\u2019s Parkinson\u2019s mortality rate averages at 21.5 per 100,000 people, while the nationwide average is 11.5.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This plant continues to emit \u201ctens of thousands of pounds of paraquat into the air, exposing workers and nearby residents,\u201d which encompasses hundreds of households within a mile of the plant, where the majority are Black. This highlights the\u00a0<\/span>disproportionate risks<\/span><\/a>\u00a0that\u00a0fenceline communities face, further causing environmental injustices to minority populations that live\u00a0in close proximity to\u00a0these\u00a0chemical plants.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Previous\u00a0Research<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Paraquat exposure can cause a range of health effects, particularly neurological disorders. Long-term paraquat exposure has even been linked to\u00a0<\/span>lung scarring<\/span><\/a>. A 2024 study, published in<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/i>International Journal of Epidemiology<\/span><\/i><\/a>, finds that people living within\u00a01,600 feet\u00a0of a paraquat application site have 91% higher odds of developing Parkinson\u2019s. Another study, published last year in the\u00a0<\/span>Journal of the American Medical Association<\/span><\/i><\/a>, finds that people living on the same water service system as a golf course have double the odds of developing Parkinson\u2019s. (See\u00a0<\/span>Daily News<\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span>here<\/span><\/a>.)<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Earlier this year, as documented in\u00a0<\/span>Daily News<\/span><\/i>\u00a0coverage\u00a0entitled\u00a0<\/span>As Litigation and Settlements Mount for the Weed Killer Paraquat, Advocates Call for a Ban and Alternatives<\/span><\/a>,\u00a0the first U.S. jury trial on paraquat against global chemical companies Syngenta Crop Protection, Chevron U.S.A., FMC Corporation, and their predecessors was scuttled due to a settlement on the eve of the case being heard in court.\u00a0The complaint describes what is known about the associations between paraquat and Parkinson\u2019s Disease. There are\u00a0numerous\u00a0hallmarks of Parkinson\u2019s that can be linked back to the effects paraquat has, based on the known science and evidence at the time of its registration with EPA and\u00a0subsequent\u00a0production, manufacturing, sale, and marketing. The lawyers for the plaintiffs explain:\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt has been scientifically known since the 1960s that Paraquat (due to its redox properties) is toxic to the cells of plants and animals. The same redox properties that make Paraquat toxic to plant cells and other types of animal cells make it toxic to dopaminergic neurons in humans\u2014that is, Paraquat is a strong oxidant that interferes with the function of, damages, and ultimately kills dopaminergic neurons in the human brain by creating oxidative stress through redox cycling. \u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The report,\u00a0<\/span>Designed to Kill: Who Profits from Paraquat<\/span><\/i><\/a>, and\u00a0accompanying\u00a0interactive\u00a0storymap, unpacks the supply chain of the infamous herbicide paraquat and underscores the true costs of pesticide products, from manufacturing to use in the fields. This report is part of a larger initiative, the\u00a0<\/span>Pesticide Mapping Project<\/span><\/a>\u2014\u201ca collaborative research series that illustrates the health and climate harms of pesticides across their toxic lifecycle: including fossil fuel extraction, manufacturing, international trade, and application on vast areas of U.S. land.\u201d (See\u00a0<\/span>Report on Weed Killer Paraquat Identifies True Hazard Costs from Manufacturing to Use<\/span><\/a>.)<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In\u00a0a previous\u00a0<\/span>Action of the Week<\/span><\/i><\/a>, Beyond Pesticides challenges EPA to apply the same standard that removed\u00a0Dacthal\u00a0from the market to the\u00a0long list\u00a0of pesticides that are contributing to a health crisis, biodiversity collapse, and the climate emergency, including paraquat. While EPA received accolades for its August 7, 2024, decision to ban the herbicide\u00a0Dacthal\u00a0(or DCPA\u2014dimethyl\u00a0tetrachloroterephthalate), it also leaves many people asking, \u201cWhy\u00a0Dacthal\u00a0and\u00a0not\u00a0other very hazardous pesticides?\u201d Paraquat, for example, poses similar elevated hazards to people and the environment, has no\u00a0antidote, and has\u00a0viable\u00a0alternatives. Therefore,\u00a0<\/span>EPA must apply the standard of the\u00a0Dacthal\u00a0decision to paraquat and issue an emergency suspension and prohibit use of existing stocks<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A review published in\u00a0<\/span>Ecotoxicology<\/span><\/i><\/a>, covered in\u00a0<\/span>Paraquat\u2014The Continuing Environmental Threat Among All Species<\/span><\/a>, reiterates what past studies have repeatedly\u00a0stated: the herbicide paraquat has profound adverse effects on wildlife at environmentally relevant concentrations. Moreover, these adverse effects span beyond the\u00a0wild areas, as exposure to this highly toxic herbicide also\u00a0impacts\u00a0the health of people working with this chemical (e.g., pesticide applicators) or living\u00a0adjacent to\u00a0areas of chemical use. The review investigated paraquat in the environment, the chemical\u2019s toxicity to nontarget species, and significant data gaps. Overall, the long-term risks of environmental\u00a0paraquat\u00a0contamination for human and ecological communities can be challenging since the potential chronic effects from extended use are\u00a0nearly unstudied. Most concerning is that\u00a0paraquat\u00a0is immobile in soil and remarkably hydrophilic (remaining\u00a0in water columns and sediment), thus having a long environmental half-life with nonselective toxicity. Although the review highlights that nontarget plants are most at risk from environmentally relevant concentrations of\u00a0paraquat, vertebrates, and invertebrates still receive nonselective toxicity\u00a0mainly through\u00a0oxidative stress, with the review noting that\u00a0paraquat\u00a0has one of the highest acute toxicity values among all herbicides.\u00a0(See Beyond Pesticides\u2019\u00a0previous\u00a0regulatory comments on paraquat\u00a0<\/span>here<\/span><\/a>, as well as\u00a0additional\u00a0<\/span>Daily News<\/span><\/i>\u00a0coverage\u00a0<\/span>here<\/span><\/a>.)<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A Holistic\u00a0Solution<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Banning paraquat is just one piece of a larger systemic issue.\u00a0There is an urgent need for a widescale transition to\u00a0alternative pest management systems\u00a0for both agricultural and land management practices. Organic methods, as defined by federal law,\u00a0can protect the health and wellbeing of not only\u00a0local communities\u00a0working with or living near pesticides, but all wildlife and ecosystems as well.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Take action by\u00a0<\/span>buying<\/span><\/a>,\u00a0<\/span>growing<\/span><\/a>, and\u00a0<\/span>supporting<\/span><\/a>\u00a0organic\u00a0food to\u00a0eliminate the extensive use of pesticides in the environment.\u00a0<\/span>Organic agriculture<\/span><\/a>\u00a0offers\u00a0numerous\u00a0<\/span>health<\/span><\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>environmental benefits<\/span><\/a>, which can\u00a0eliminate\u00a0the need for chemical-intensive agricultural practices. For more information on how organic\u00a0is the right choice for all individuals, see the Beyond Pesticides\u00a0resource,\u00a0<\/span>Eating with a Conscience<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Additionally, you can\u00a0<\/span>sign up<\/span><\/a>\u00a0to receive\u00a0<\/span>Action of the Week<\/span><\/i>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>Weekly News Update<\/span><\/i>\u00a0emails\u00a0to stay notified\u00a0on\u00a0ways\u00a0to engage in\u00a0actions\u00a0that\u00a0expand organic land management\u00a0in agricultural contexts and on public green spaces, parks, and playing fields. See\u00a0<\/span>Parks for a Sustainable Future<\/span><\/a>\u00a0to learn more about bringing organic to your community.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

All unattributed positions and opinions in this piece are those of Beyond Pesticides.\u00a0<\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Source<\/span><\/b>:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Nolan, D. (2026) This herbicide is so\u00a0toxic\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0been banned in over 70 countries. But plants in the South are releasing it into the\u00a0air.,\u00a0<\/span>Investigate Midwest<\/span><\/i>. Available at:\u00a0<\/span>https:\/\/investigatemidwest.org\/2026\/05\/18\/this-herbicide-is-so-toxic-its-been-banned-in-over-70-countries-but-plants-in-the-south-are-releasing-it-into-the-air\/<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

(Beyond Pesticides, June\u00a010, 2026)\u00a0Adding to the wide body of science connecting\u00a0the weed killer\u00a0paraquat to deleterious health and environmental effects,\u00a0Investigate Midwest\u00a0recently released an investigative\u00a0news\u00a0article connecting air emissions of\u00a0paraquat\u00a0from\u00a0chemical\u00a0plants in the Mississippi Basin\u00a0to\u00a0Parkinson\u2019s disease, among other adverse health effects. The herbicide is also fatal to humans with a single sip, as documented in the article, entitled \u201cThis herbicide is so toxic it\u2019s been banned in over 70 countries. But plants in the South are releasing it into the air.\u201d\u00a0 In capturing the story of\u00a0Wayne County, Mississippi,\u00a0where\u00a0approximately\u00a020,000 people\u00a0live\u00a0surrounded by forest and farmland,\u00a0Investigate Midwest\u00a0sheds light on the connection between the\u00a0Sipcam\u00a0Agro\u00a0plant that processes\u00a0and emits\u00a0paraquat.\u00a0The plant\u00a0is\u00a0located in\u00a0the county\u00a0with\u00a0among\u00a0the\u00a0highest\u00a0U.S.\u00a0rates of Parkinson\u2019s disease deaths,\u00a0the top 7% of all U.S. counties.\u00a0 Background\u00a0on Paraquat\u00a0 Paraquat\u00a0has been on the market since the 1960s, created\u00a0by a predecessor of Syngenta.\u00a0In March\u00a0of this year,\u00a0Syngenta announced\u00a0it would stop producing paraquat in the UK\u00a0after\u00a0thousands of lawsuits, primarily by farmers and farmworkers,\u00a0cite Syngenta\u2019s\u00a0failure\u00a0to\u00a0warn\u00a0of adverse health effects like\u00a0Parkinson\u2019s disease.\u00a0Stopping the production of paraquat in the UK will not prevent paraquat from entering\u00a0the U.S., as \u201cother companies and other facilities\u2014like the one in Wayne County\u2014will fill the gap, likely increasing the amount of paraquat they handle.\u201d\u00a0 According to\u00a0previous\u00a0data from the\u00a0U.S. Geological Survey,\u00a0approximately\u00a011\u00a0to\u00a017 million pounds\u00a0of paraquat\u00a0were\u00a0sprayed annually\u00a0in 2017, which may […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":41766,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[249,538,494,86,35,145,166,82],"tags":[2616,2359,902,997,2617,2124,1932,1134,1138,736,1292,2618,2510],"class_list":["post-41764","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-agriculture","category-air-pollution","category-herbicides","category-mississippi","category-paraquat","category-parkinsons","category-syngenta","category-vermont","tag-air-emissions","tag-air-pollution","tag-ban","tag-herbicide","tag-lung-scarring","tag-mississippi","tag-mortality","tag-neurological-impacts","tag-paraquat","tag-parkinsons","tag-parkinsons-disease","tag-vermont","tag-weed-killer"],"yoast_head":"\nParaquat Linked to Parkinson\u2019s Disease in U.S. County with Among the Highest Rates, Supporting Call for a Ban - Beyond Pesticides Daily News 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