Drifting Paraquat Vapor Threatens Hundreds of Farm Neighborhoods And Millions of People

If drifting paraquat fumes can destroy rice fields, they can land on adjacent communities where people live, work and play also

Tuesday, July 27, 2021 - Individuals that have filed lawsuits against Syngenta, the maker of paraquat weedkiller, look to scientific studies to support their claims. Most people that have filed suit are farmers and farm workers that have used paraquat regularly and have inhaled the toxic fumes. Paraquat is used to kill weeds that cannibalize water and nutrients in the soil. Drinking paraquat can cause instant death and inhaling the fumes in regular, low-dose quantities can cause severe neurological damage. Farmers that spray paraquat have developed Parkinson's disease at rates double that of the general population. Local neighborhood populations are subjected to low-dose quantities of the deadly defoliant that have been carried in the direction of the prevailing wind. People that have regularly come into contact with paraquat have filed Paraquat Parkinsons Disease lawsuits seeking compensation for their medical expenses, loss of wages, and pain and suffering.

Research scientists have discovered that paraquat can drift from its intended location, carried by the prevailing wind, and land on rice fields and cause damage. Paraquat kills weeds and also lightens and drys out a crop like cotton immediately before harvest. In some areas of the country, soybean fields that are sprayed with paraquat, lie adjacent to rice fields, and paraquat drifting in the air adversely affects the rice yield. According to the Picayune Item, doctoral candidate and researcher Tameka Sanders at the MSU Delta Research and Extension Center in Stoneville discovered the following: "The problem is that often, rice is grown right across the turnrow from soybean fields or other crops. When you are spraying the soybeans, paraquat can move onto the rice. It depends on the rate and the growth stage, but this drift potentially can totally kill the rice or harm it so badly that the yield is greatly reduced." The PI tells readers that paraquat drift varies depending on the prevailing wind, the temperature, and the height and type of sprayer the farmer uses. Plaintiffs that live near farms that spray paraquat have filed lawsuits claiming that airborne paraquat has landed on them regularly for years and caused them to develop Parkinson's disease, a death sentence for which there is no cure.

Paraquat is a deadly, highly toxic defoliant that indiscriminately kills any weeds in which it comes into contact. Farmers applying paraquat try to spray as low to the ground as possible, directly on the weed optimally, to minimize paraquat vapor. Paraquat farmers are required to become licensed after having taken a paraquat safety course. They often ignore the EPA's directive to wear personal protective equipment or to take care when applying the defoliant given only recently. Thus, farmers often come home drenched in paraquat, and their spouse or housekeeper has to launder the clothing and contaminated equipment. Personal protective equipment must be cleaned after every use presenting another dangerous interaction between humans and paraquat poison.

Lawyers for Paraquat Lawsuits

Attorneys handling Paraquat Lawsuits for leukemia, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and multiple myeloma offer free, no-obligation case review for individuals and families who believe they may have grounds to file a paraquat Parkinson's lawsuit. Working on a contingency basis, these attorneys are committed to never charging legal fees unless they win compensation in your paraquat Parkinson's lawsuit. The product liability litigators handling Roundup claims at the Onder Law Firm have a strong track record of success in representing families harmed by dangerous drugs and consumer products.