California Bans Parkinson's-Linked Pesticide

California, the largest agricultural producer and user of the controversial paraquat herbicide, has initiated a ban on the substance. This decision comes after the state legislature passed a law in 2024 mandating a re-evaluation of paraquat's health risks by the pesticide division.

Paraquat is described as a highly toxic herbicide with strong associations to Parkinson's disease. Despite being outlawed in more than 70 countries, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reapproved its use in 2021 and again in 2024. California's prohibition marks it as the second state to ban paraquat, following Vermont.

The ban will be phased out over two years. The pesticide's makers opted to cease its use in California rather than share updated health and environmental data. Syngenta, a major producer, withdrew its permit in April and announced it would halt production.

This state-level action intensifies pressure on the EPA, which faces a lawsuit from public health groups alleging it has ignored scientific consensus linking paraquat to Parkinson's. Critics point to industry influence and weak federal laws as reasons for the EPA's continued approval of the pesticide.