Have you been diagnosed with Parkinson’s desease?

Have you been diagnosed with Parkinson’s desease?

If you have

  • Worked with or been exposed to Paraquat
  • Been diagnosed with Parkinson’s desease

You may

  • Be entitled to a substantial financial compensation

  • Get a chance to rock the foundations of big chem companies 

What is Paraquat?

Although first synthesized in 1882, paraquat’s herbicidal properties were not recognized until 1955. Paraquat was first manufactured and sold in United States in 1962 under the trade name Gramoxone and is today among the most commonly used herbicides in the United States.
Paraquat is classified as a non-selective contact herbicide. The key characteristics that distinguish it from other agents used in plant protection products are:
  • It kills a wide range of annual grasses and broad-leaved weeds and the tips of established perennial weeds.
  • It is very fast-acting.
  • It is rain-fast within minutes of application.
  • It is partially inactivated upon contact with soil.
Paraquat is a toxic chemical that is widely used as an herbicide (plant killer), primarily for weed and grass control.
In the United States, paraquat is available primarily as a liquid in various strengths. The US Environmental Protection Agency classifies paraquat as “restricted use.” This means that it can be used only by people who are licensed applicators.

Facts about Paraquat

More than 50 countries have banned the use of Paraquat due to it’s high toxicity, including China, which is the largest producer and exporter of Paraquat in the United States.

 
In 2011, a US National Institutes of Health study showed a link between paraquat use and Parkinson’s disease in farm workers. A co-author of the paper said that paraquat increases production of certain oxygen derivatives that may harm cellular structures, and that people who used paraquat, or other pesticides with a similar mechanism of action, were more likely to develop Parkinson’s. Paraquat-induced toxicity in rats has also been linked to Parkinson’s-like neurological degenerative mechanisms.
Since 1st July, 2014, China cancelled the registration and granting of production licenses for paraquat, having also stopped production. However, the production of paraquat is allowed exclusively for export purposes. On 1st July, 2016, the sale and use of paraquat in China was banned.

Paraquat is among the most commonly used herbicides in United States

In 2011, a US National Institutes of Health study showed a link between paraquat use and Parkinson’s disease in farm workers. A co-author of the paper said that paraquat increases production of certain oxygen derivatives that may harm cellular structures, and that people who used paraquat, or other pesticides with a similar mechanism of action, were more likely to develop Parkinson’s. Paraquat-induced toxicity in rats has also been linked to Parkinson’s-like neurological degenerative mechanisms.
Since 1st July, 2014, China cancelled the registration and granting of production licenses for paraquat, having also stopped production. However, the production of paraquat is allowed exclusively for export purposes. On 1st July, 2016, the sale and use of paraquat in China was banned.

Paraquat is among the most commonly used herbicides in United States

History of Paraquat

1962

Paraquat® is first manufactured and made commercially available as an herbicide.

2007

Paraquat® is banned in the European Union due to concerns over its effects on human health.

2011

The National Institute of Health® conducted a study that found that users of Paraquat® were diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease 2.5x more often than non-users.

2017

The Unified Parkinsons Advocacy Council® asked the EPA to “deny the registration of the herbicide based on strong evidence of Paraquat’s® harm to human health”.

2019

The Environmental Protection Agency announces required training programs for certified applicators of Paraquat® in an effort to lower worker’s exposure to the herbicide.

2020

Some of the very first individual claims are filed against Paraquat® manufacturers due to the link between the toxic chemical and Parkinson’s.

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