Paraquat Ban Advances in US States

Paraquat is a broad-spectrum herbicide used in the United States and restricted to certified applicators under federal rules. It has been banned in more than 70 countries, including China and Brazil, and it remains under regulatory review in the United States because of toxicity concerns and litigation linked to Parkinson’s disease.

Paraquat and Herbicide Regulation

Paraquat is a non-selective contact herbicide used to control weeds and grasses in agriculture and non-crop settings. In the United States, paraquat products are subject to restricted-use pesticide rules, which limit handling to certified applicators under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act.

State-Level Ban Proposals

As of May 2026, Vermont’s Senate had initially approved H.739 to ban paraquat, and the bill required reconciliation with a House-passed version before it could reach Governor Phil Scott. By late March 2026, bills to ban or restrict paraquat had been introduced in 10 US states, and Hawaii, Utah, and West Virginia had proposed bans on application near schools.

Federal Review and Manufacturer Action

In January 2026, US Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin stated that the agency would reassess paraquat safety and require manufacturers to demonstrate safe use in real-world conditions. On 13 November 2025, the EPA issued an updated review on paraquat volatilisation and stated that there was greater uncertainty about volatilisation than previously considered.

Litigation and Exposure Concerns

About 8,000 paraquat-related cases have been filed in federal multidistrict litigation and state courts against manufacturers such as Syngenta and Chevron. The cases involve claims that long-term paraquat exposure caused Parkinson’s disease.

Production, Emissions and Market Status

In March 2026, Syngenta Crop Protection announced that it would stop global production of paraquat by the end of June 2026. A Sipcam Agro plant in Wayne County, Mississippi, was identified in May 2026 as the largest single paraquat emitter in the United States, with airborne emissions exceeding 47,000 pounds in 2024.

Important Facts for Exams

• Paraquat is classified as a restricted-use pesticide in the United States.
• The US Environmental Protection Agency is the federal regulator for pesticide registration and review.
• Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder associated in many studies with pesticide exposure debates.
• Federal multidistrict litigation is a US court process used to consolidate similar civil cases.

Global and Regulatory Context

The EPA stated on 13 November 2025 that it had not found a clear link between labelled paraquat uses and adverse health outcomes such as Parkinson’s disease and cancer. The agency also noted conflicting study results on paraquat and Parkinson’s disease.