In late September, farmworker and environmental groups sued the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) over its summer re-approval of the weedkiller paraquat, which is primarily used for soybean, corn, and cotton crop fields. These groups argue that it puts farmworkers at an increased risk for developing Parkinson’s disease, a degenerative brain disease that leads to loss of muscle coordination.

Petition Against EPA’s Decision

The Farmworker Association of Florida (FWAF), along with other groups, petitioned the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, asking them to review the EPA’s decision to approve continued use of the herbicide. They claim the weedkiller violates the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act.

When issuing its July approval, the agency revealed that there was insufficient evidence to link exposure to this herbicide and Parkinson’s disease. However, a growing number of liability lawsuits focus on the connection between paraquat and the degenerative disease. In June, the Judicial Panel on Multi District Litigation (MDL) consolidated the mass tort litigation against paraquat’s makers in the Southern District of Illinois. Because litigation is pending, EPA spokesperson Ken Labbe declined to comment.

Syngenta, one of the herbicide’s major sellers, markets the product as Gramoxone. Spokesperson Paul Minehart declined to comment on the new 9th Circuit case due to a “mandatory quiet period” ahead of its initial public offering on the Shanghai Stock Exchange. The company has previously agreed with the EPA and said there was “no credible evidence” to suggest paraquat usage leads to Parkinson’s.

Paraquat Usage Linked to “Unreasonable Risks”

The plaintiffs, however, said in a statement that some studies have found that paraquat can increase the risk of Parkinson’s. Jeannie Economos, a pesticide safety project coordinator with the FWAF, said that it is “unconscionable that the EPA so devalues the lives of farmworkers as to allow the continued us of this harmful toxic pesticide.” Earthjustice represents the plaintiffs, including FWAF and The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research.

The groups also criticized the agency for re-approving the substance despite determining that “exposure to paraquat can damage the respiratory system and eyes,” exposing farmworkers to “unreasonable risks.”

The EPA first registered paraquat in 1964. It must undergo a registration review every 15 years. The product has already been banned in many parts of the world, including by the European Union, China, and Brazil.  

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