Glyphosate, Paraquat and diquat
Glyphosate — the active ingredient in the broad-spectrum herbicide RoundUp — is commonly used off-label as a desiccant and/or preharvest treatment to speed ripening. This is why even non-GMO foods often contain glyphosate.
A meta-analysis found a correlation between occupational exposure to glyphosate formulations and increased risk of B cell lymphoma, the most common kind of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Workers exposed to glyphosate were about twice as likely to get B cell lymphoma. A systematic review of 10 observational studies found an excess of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder among children born to glyphosate appliers.
Paraquat and diquat are registered desiccants that have been used in U.S. agriculture since 1962, and as bad as glyphosate is, these “quats” may be even worse.
More than 3,000 farmers with Parkinson’s disease are suing Syngenta, the lead manufacturer of paraquat, and Chevron, a key distributor, arguing the chemical caused their disease. The first federal trial is set for October 2023. More than 100 lawsuits have also been filed in California state courts, where trials are set to begin in June 2023.
In 2021, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reapproved paraquat for another 15 years. Earth Justice sued the EPA claiming the agency has “understated the extent of paraquat’s adverse effects.” The EPA is now re-reviewing its paraquat data and has until December 2023 to draft its reanalysis.
Paraquat can trigger Parkinson’s disease when combined with plant lectins as the lectins transport the toxin straight into the brain.
A meta-analysis found a correlation between occupational exposure to glyphosate formulations and increased risk of B cell lymphoma, the most common kind of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Workers exposed to glyphosate were about twice as likely to get B cell lymphoma. A systematic review of 10 observational studies found an excess of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder among children born to glyphosate appliers.
Paraquat and diquat are registered desiccants that have been used in U.S. agriculture since 1962, and as bad as glyphosate is, these “quats” may be even worse.
More than 3,000 farmers with Parkinson’s disease are suing Syngenta, the lead manufacturer of paraquat, and Chevron, a key distributor, arguing the chemical caused their disease. The first federal trial is set for October 2023. More than 100 lawsuits have also been filed in California state courts, where trials are set to begin in June 2023.
In 2021, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reapproved paraquat for another 15 years. Earth Justice sued the EPA claiming the agency has “understated the extent of paraquat’s adverse effects.” The EPA is now re-reviewing its paraquat data and has until December 2023 to draft its reanalysis.
Paraquat can trigger Parkinson’s disease when combined with plant lectins as the lectins transport the toxin straight into the brain.
