Request to prohibit paraquat, a weedkiller suspected to cause Parkinson's disease, from use under Biden's administration
In the United States, the use of the controversial herbicide paraquat continues, despite growing concerns about its potential health risks. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has not yet announced a ban on the use of paraquat, a chemical that has been linked to Parkinson’s disease and other serious illnesses.
Despite the EPA's ongoing review of paraquat, the chemical remains a concern for many, particularly farmworkers and rural communities who are most exposed to it. More than 53,000 people have signed a petition urging President Joe Biden to ban the use of paraquat, a petition circulated by the Environmental Working Group, The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, and a coalition of farmworker, labor, health, and environmental organizations.
The UFW Foundation, led by Erica Lomeli Corcoran, has been a vocal advocate for the banning of paraquat. The organization believes that the banning of the toxic chemical is necessary to ensure a safe environment for farmworkers.
Paraquat, also known as Gramoxone, is a herbicide banned in more than 70 countries due to its toxicity. It is used for controlling weeds in agricultural applications and poses exposure risks, especially to those who handle it directly. Ingestion of paraquat can be fatal, and dermal or eye contact can have serious, lasting effects. The EPA warns that anyone who comes in contact with paraquat should seek immediate medical assistance.
The EPA licenses paraquat only for use by trained applicators, and there are no homeowner versions. However, this has not stopped millions of pounds of paraquat from being sprayed annually on American farmland.
In an effort to mitigate the risks associated with paraquat, the EPA has implemented "mitigation measures." These measures aim to reduce exposure to the chemical, but critics argue that they are not enough to protect farmworkers and their families from the potential health risks.
The EPA's ongoing review of paraquat has been met with frustration from health advocates, who link paraquat exposure to Parkinson’s disease and other serious illnesses. Despite the EPA's assertions that evidence linking paraquat to Parkinson’s is “insufficient,” legal actions continue against manufacturers like Syngenta and Chevron, alleging suppression of health risk information and seeking compensation for Parkinson’s-linked illnesses.
As the EPA continues its review of paraquat, the petitioners are calling on Biden's Environmental Protection Agency to ban the weedkiller to protect farmworkers, their families, and communities where it is sprayed. The ultimate regulatory decision remains pending as the EPA gathers more data to comprehensively evaluate paraquat’s risks.
In conclusion, while there is strong advocacy and litigation highlighting paraquat's dangers and links to Parkinson’s disease, the EPA has postponed any ban or final decisional action as of August 2025. The petition is one of many pleas for last-minute actions from President Biden in his final days in office. The fate of paraquat in the United States remains uncertain, but the debate surrounding its use continues to intensify.
[1] Environmental Protection Agency. (2025). Paraquat: Current Status and Future Regulatory Actions. Retrieved from https://www.epa.gov/pesticides/paraquat [2] United Farm Workers Foundation. (2025). Paraquat Ban Petition. Retrieved from https://www.ufw.org/paraquat-ban-petition [3] Environmental Working Group. (2025). Paraquat: A Toxic Weedkiller. Retrieved from https://www.ewg.org/research/paraquat-toxic-weedkiller [4] The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research. (2025). Paraquat and Parkinson's Disease. Retrieved from https://www.michaeljfox.org/understanding-parkinsons/research-articles/paraquat-and-parkinsons-disease [5] Syngenta. (2025). Gramoxone: Safe and Effective Herbicide. Retrieved from https://www.syngenta.com/products/gramoxone
- Although the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has not yet decided on banning paraquat, health-and-wellness and environmental organizations have increased their efforts to bring attention to the potential links between paraquat and Parkinson’s disease, mental-health issues, and environmental concerns caused by climate-change and excessive paraquat usage.
- The use of paraquat, a herbicide that has been banned in more than 70 countries, continues to spark debates among scientists, health advocates, and environmentalists. They argue that its potential risks, including fatal ingestion, serious dermal or eye contact effects, and links to Parkinson's disease and other illnesses, call for stricter regulations and even a complete science-based ban on its use in the United States.
