World Jun 23, 2026 · 1 min read

Paraquat will continue to be used in Australia despite 70 countries banning weedkiller over Parkinson’s disease fears

Herbicide manufacturer Sygenta had reservations dating back to 1970s but regulator says tighter controls, including phasing out backpack sprayers, can protect workersFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe herbicide paraqua...

TH
The Guardian
by Anne Davies
Paraquat will continue to be used in Australia despite 70 countries banning weedkiller over Parkinson’s disease fears

Herbicide manufacturer Sygenta had reservations dating back to 1970s but regulator says tighter controls, including phasing out backpack sprayers, can protect workers

The herbicide paraquat, banned in over 70 countries, will remain legal in Australia despite Parkinson’s groups, scientists and neurologists arguing there is a strong correlation between direct exposure and the incidence of the disease.

The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) announced its final decision on Tuesday following a decades-long review of the highly toxic paraquat and a related chemical, diquat. Both are widely used in Australian agriculture.

Continue reading...
TH
Source

This article was originally published by The Guardian and written by Anne Davies.

Read original article on The Guardian
Back to Discover

Reading List