Home / Environment / EPA Reassesses Paraquat Safety Amid Health Lawsuits
EPA Reassesses Paraquat Safety Amid Health Lawsuits
10 Jan
Summary
- The EPA is reviewing the safety of the herbicide paraquat.
- Manufacturers must prove current uses are safe in real-world conditions.
- Lawsuits allege paraquat exposure caused Parkinson's disease.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is undertaking a significant review of the herbicide paraquat's safety. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin stated on X on January 9, 2026, that the agency is requiring manufacturers to rigorously demonstrate the safety of paraquat for its current applications in real-world scenarios.
This regulatory scrutiny intensifies as Syngenta, a leading marketer of paraquat under the brand name Gramoxone, confronts multiple lawsuits. These legal challenges, filed in the United States, allege that exposure to the herbicide has caused plaintiffs to develop Parkinson's disease, a severe neurodegenerative disorder.
Paraquat is widely utilized in agriculture, primarily for weed and grass control in soybean, corn, and cotton fields, according to the EPA. Syngenta has previously asserted that no credible evidence links paraquat to Parkinson's disease.
