Paraquat Poisoning Pennsylvanians, Parkinson’s on Rise
Jan 29, 2026
Written by Amy Montemarano
PENNSYLVANIA is poised to become the first state to ban paraquat, a highly toxic herbicide that is strongly linked to Parkinson's! If you live in PA, contact your state legislators (you can use this tool: https://www.palegis.us/) and urge them to pass PA HB 1135, which has bipartisan co-sponsorship!
Paraquat and Parkinson’s
Paraquat is extremely dangerous. One small sip or acute inhalation can kill a person. Applied by farmworkers using on-the-ground equipment or sprayed from airplanes, it is highly water-soluble, persists in the soil, and spreads in the environment through aerial drift and its attachment to soil particles. And numerous peer-reviewed studies have demonstrated a strong link between paraquat and Parkinson’s. Research shows that exposure to paraquat, particularly when it is sprayed within 500 meters of homes or workplaces, MORE THAN DOUBLES a person’s risk of developing Parkinson’s.
Paraquat Use is Increasing in the U.S. While Being Banned in Over 70 Countries.
Paraquat is so deadly that 70 countries have banned its use, including the countries in which it is manufactured – the U.K. and China – and its country of origin, Switzerland. (Paraquat is primarily manufactured by Syngenta, a Swiss company owned by Sinochem, a Chinese state-owned enterprise.) Other countries with a paraquat ban include Brazil, Canada, Chile, Malaysia, Peru, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, and every country in the European Union.
Despite the overwhelming evidence of paraquat’s dangerousness, the U.S. continues to permit its agricultural use. (Notably, the EPA has banned paraquat on golf courses, playgrounds, and residential areas.) Agricultural paraquat use in the U.S. more than doubled from 2008 to 2018. In 2021, the EPA renewed paraquat’s registration for agricultural use as long as paraquat handlers employ mitigation measures. The EPA is now reviewing that decision, particularly in light of “new” information regarding the potential of paraquat to volatilize and be inhaled by individuals who are not required to wear protective gear. But that review will take years, which is why it’s imperative for Pennsylvania to act now.
States Can Act to Protect People from Paraquat Even if the EPA Does Not.
Given recent litigation in which the Trump administration sided with Bayer/Monsanto, the maker of Roundup, a glyphosate-based herbicide known to be a human carcinogen, it’s unlikely that action will be taken at the federal level to protect us from dangerous agrochemicals. Federal pesticide law does not prohibit states from banning pesticides that are otherwise permitted by the EPA, and states have done so in the past.
Banning paraquat would not impose an undue burden on Pennsylvania farmers; paraquat accounts for less than 1.3% of all pesticide use in Pennsylvania. It’s notable that more than 77% of the global production of apples, a valuable crop in Pennsylvania, occurs in countries in which paraquat is banned – evidence that agriculture without paraquat can be practiced effectively and profitably.
Paraquat Manufacturer Syngenta Has Paid Hundreds of Millions of Dollars to Settle Paraquat-Parkinson’s Lawsuits.
Paraquat manufacturer Syngenta denies that paraquat causes Parkinson’s, while at the same time it is using its corporate power to keep evidence of causation out of the public eye. Of the approximately 8,000 lawsuits filed across the U.S. against Syngenta (and co-defendant Chevron) by people alleging paraquat exposure caused them to develop Parkinson’s, none have yet gone to trial. Syngenta has settled each case that was set for trial - including a bellwether case in Philadelphia that was about to present opening arguments to a jury yesterday. While settlement terms are confidential, it is known that Syngenta paid $187 million to settle one multi-plaintiff lawsuit. It’s been reported that Syngenta has internal corporate documents purportedly showing that the company intentionally minimized the link between paraquat and Parkinson’s by manipulating scientific research and influencing government regulators. Lawsuit settlements help keep those documents away from public attention.
Parkinson’s is Growing Fast and Devastating Lives.
As paraquat use in the U.S. continues to grow, so does the rate of Parkinson’s disease, now the fastest growing neurological disorder in the world and increasingly referred to as an emerging pandemic. Approximately 90,000 people are diagnosed with Parkinson’s in the U.S. every year, and Central Pennsylvania is one of the hotbeds for new cases.
For those of us living with Parkinson’s, the disease is devastating. Parkinson’s is a progressive neurodegenerative condition in which dopamine-producing neurons in the brain die off. It hits people of all ages and across all demographics. Our nervous system ceases to function correctly. We slowly but relentlessly lose the ability to control almost everything in our bodies – not only our arms, legs, and spine, but also those muscles used for digestion, eating, elimination, speaking, swallowing, and smiling. We lose cognition, and many of us will suffer from dementia. We are forced to abandon jobs and activities that we love. Our worlds shrink, and our loss of productivity and cost of care impose an enormous financial burden on our families and society. The cost of Parkinson’s surely outweighs any benefits of paraquat – it’s not even close.
Parkinson’s is incurable but many experts believe it is preventable, primarily by discontinuing the use of paraquat and other toxic chemicals that contribute to the risk of PD.
If the Pennsylvania legislature passes HB 1135 and bans paraquat, Pennsylvania would lead the way for other states to follow and help protect all Americans from the pandemic of Parkinson’s.
Thanks to the hard work and advocacy of the Environmental Working Group, the Michael J. Fox Foundation, the Parkinson's Foundation of Western Pennsylvania, PD Avengers, and many others, Pennsylvania may soon make history in protecting you, your children, and their children from getting Parkinson's.
