Texas Urged to Ban Paraquat as Parkinson's Cases Doubled Between 2015 and 2021
Updated
Updated · North Texas Daily · Jun 19
Texas Urged to Ban Paraquat as Parkinson's Cases Doubled Between 2015 and 2021
2 articles · Updated · North Texas Daily · Jun 19
Summary
Paraquat use in Texas agriculture is being singled out as a major Parkinson’s risk, with advocates urging the state to ban the weedkiller to protect Rio Grande Valley farmworkers and nearby residents.
EPA analysis identified paraquat as the pesticide most strongly linked to Parkinson’s, while the chemical remains legal in the U.S. despite being banned or phased out in 74 countries.
Aerial spraying can spread paraquat across a 20-square-mile radius, exposing families near fields, while workers harvesting melons and citrus face repeated contact through skin and lungs.
Parkinson’s cases doubled globally from 2015 to 2021 and could reach 25 million by 2050; one study cited in the report said Texas rates are rising faster than the global trend.
The report argues protective gear is not a realistic safeguard in 105-degree field conditions and says Texas should shift to less harmful pesticides rather than rely on workers to manage the risk.