California is considering banning a dangerous chemical already outlawed in other countries with similar thriving agricultural economies.
On April 8, the Los Angeles Times reported that new legislation is aiming to ban paraquat, a weed-killer that researchers have linked to severe health problems, including Parkinson's disease and cancers like childhood leukemia.
"At its core, this bill is about protecting public safety," said Assemblymember Laura Friedman, a Democrat from the 44th District who proposed the bill, according to the report. "This is a very toxic chemical, it's not something that is necessary, and we need to do more to protect our vulnerable community members — particularly our agricultural workers."
According to the report, California sprays millions of pounds of the weed killer every year. Boasting the world's fifth-largest economy, it uses more paraquat than any other U.S. state.
This is despite the fact that more than 3,600 lawsuits have been filed against Syngenta, one of the top manufacturers of paraquat, since September 2017. The claims allege that exposure to paraquat has caused the development of Parkinson's or kidney disease.
"Paraquat is banned in more than 60 countries, including those with large agricultural economies, like the United Kingdom, China, Brazil and the members of the European Union," Friedman said, per the Times. "California should follow their lead."
While Syngenta chief communications officer Saswato Das told the Times that "paraquat is safe when used as directed," the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency also warns it is nonetheless "highly toxic." The news report notes that Switzerland and China (which owns the Swiss-based Syngenta) are among the nations that have outlawed the paraquat.
The Golden State's move to ban the dangerous chemical, if implemented, is expected to help protect disproportionately impacted agricultural workers and low-income Latino people who are more likely to be exposed to large quantities of paraquat, per the Times, and also prevent toxins from contaminating the water and soil, as well as our food supply.
And while rising global temperatures have increased challenges for farms — from more intense and unpredictable extreme weather to persistent pests, per Bayer's Farmer Voice survey — scientific innovations continue to provide hope for a more climate-resilient future while greatly reducing or eliminating the need for environmentally damaging and health-harming chemicals.
For example, smart tech in one farm robot eliminated the need for fungicide usage in vineyards by as much as 70%. Researchers at North Carolina State University also believe a genetically modified fruit fly could significantly reduce insect-related crop loss.
At the end of May, the Environmental Working Group reported that the bill aiming to ban paraquat by January 2026 was approved by the California State Assembly. It now has to pass the Senate and be signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom to become law.
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