A new law has been signed in California that throws the future use of paraquat into doubt within the state. The California Department of Pesticide Regulation will now reevaluate this pesticide, which is known for its toxicity and ties to serious health concerns.
According to the Fresno Bee, Governor Gavin Newsom signed the bill into law on Saturday, setting a January 2029 deadline for the reevaluation. At that time, a decision will be made on whether to maintain, suspend or cancel paraquat’s registration.
The law is a targeted move to potentially help farmworkers at risk of pesticide exposure. According to the Los Angeles Times, farmworkers and low-income Latino people disproportionately experience paraquat exposure. In Kern County alone, a predominately Latino community, workers sprayed over 5.3 million pounds of the pesticide from 2017 to 2021.
Paraquat is incredibly toxic, with the Environmental Protection Agency warning that even one small sip can be fatal. Inhalation of paraquat and exposure to skin can also lead to poisoning.
Farmers use paraquat on common crops like corn and cotton.
Thousands of Paraquat Lawsuits Claim Exposure to Pesticide Caused Parkinson’s
In addition to its high toxicity, there are significant health concerns surrounding paraquat and long-term exposure to the pesticide. Past research has shown possible links between paraquat and the development of Parkinson’s disease.
Because paraquat is a neurotoxin, it is unsurprising that some research suggests it could cause neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s. Dozens of countries have banned the use of paraquat.
Paraquat lawsuits have been filed over these potential neurological side effects, with plaintiffs claiming that paraquat manufacturer Syngenta failed to warn about the serious health risks. The Guardian reported in 2022 that documents showed Syngenta was concerned about paraquat litigation stemming from chronic effects caused by paraquat as early as 1975.
As of this week, plaintiffs have filed nearly 6,000 paraquat lawsuits in Illinois federal court. In August, 10 potential bellwether cases were selected to move into discovery.
Paraquat is not the only popular pesticide facing significant litigation over health concerns. Monsanto’s Roundup has been the subject of thousands of lawsuits as well over links to non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
In January, a Pennsylvania man blamed his condition on Roundup that he had used around his property for decades. He received a $2.25 billion verdict award from a Philadelphia jury that was later reduced to $400 million.
Monsanto and its parent company Bayer have been pushing for Roundup litigation to make its way to the Supreme Court.