Syngenta announced on March 3 that it will permanently cease the production of paraquat, one of the world’s most widely used and controversial herbicides. The company confirmed it will close its primary manufacturing facility in Huddersfield, UK, by June 2026.
Syngenta said that it’s decision to cease paraquat production is in line with its focus on innovation, and its commitment to bring new solutions that elevate the productivity and sustainability of agriculture, according to a press release.
“This decision is about focusing our resources where they deliver the greatest value for our business and our customers,” Mike Hollands, president Syngenta UK and head of Syngenta Global Production and Supply, said.
While Syngenta officially cited “significant competition” from generic manufacturers and low profit margins—noting that paraquat accounts for less than 1 percent of its global revenue—the chemical giant currently faces thousands of lawsuits in the United States from farmers and agricultural workers who claim that long-term exposure to the herbicide caused them to develop Parkinson’s.
Paraquat is listed as a “restricted-use” pesticide (RUP), which means it is a high-risk chemical not available to the general public due to potential harm to human health or the environment. They require purchase and application by certified, trained professionals only, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
This high-risk chemical has been linked to chronic neurological damage that has fueled recent bans in over 70 countries—including the United Kingdom where it is manufactured and China where Syngenta’s parent company is based—but remains legal in the United States.
According to research, paraquat creates “oxidative stress” that kills dopamine-producing neurons, the hallmark of Parkinson’s disease. Studies have suggested that individuals exposed to paraquat are 2.5 times more likely to develop the disease than those who are not.
“For decades we have warned that certain pesticides increase the risk of Parkinson’s and other serious diseases,” Michael Okun, director of the Fixel Institute at the University of Florida, who has called for a ban on paraquat, said. “This moment proves that advocacy, data and courage can change the trajectory of disease.”
While Okun called the news a “public health milestone,” generic versions of the herbicide are still produced by other companies.
Recent scrutiny caused the EPA to launched a fresh safety review, demanding that remaining manufacturers prove the chemical is safe for workers under current application methods.
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