How One State Can Impact the Nation

Paraquat is extremely toxic and a fatal dose can be less than a teaspoon for a young child with even small amounts causing irreversible harm.¹ There have been documented fatalities in over 50 years of medical literature - this danger is not new or uncertain.² The evidence linking paraquat to Parkinson’s disease is clear. Studies show that working in fields or living near fields where paraquat has been sprayed, significantly increases the chances of developing Parkinson’s disease. Paraquat is also connected to other health risks, including non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma,³ kidney cancer⁴ and thyroid cancer,⁵ and other thyroid issues.⁶ In rural areas, exposure to paraquat during pregnancy may increase the risk of leukemia. Recently, a new study revealed that paraquat has the potential to volatilize and people who live up to 2.7 miles away⁷ from where it is applied could be impacted. Unfortunately, the U.S. EPA has failed to act and is at least 4 years away⁸ from taking meaningful action.

When Vermont⁹ became the first state in the nation to ban paraquat at the end of May 2026, other states noticed. Nine U.S. states¹⁰ have introduced similar legislation on paraquat this session and over 70 countries¹¹ have banned paraquat. Pennsylvania’s bill is still making its way through the state legislature with Vermont’s success providing an example.

Since 2001, 40 states have adopted 435 state level chemical policies. States have stepped up in the past to protect their citizens from toxic chemicals such as asbestos, PFAS, and lead, while the federal government lags. Action at the state level signals to other states about what is possible. When states take action manufacturers and markets begin to respond.^{12, 13, 14}

In mid-June, Representatives Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) and Anna Paulina Luna (R-Florida) introduced the Paraquat Prevention Act¹⁵ which would cancel all registered uses of paraquat and permanently prohibit its reregistration and also ensure no levels of paraquat residue are tolerated in food.¹⁶

Vermont may be just one state, but one state can start a movement. As nurses, our professional standards include obligations to address health, environment, and safety¹⁷ with the Nursing Code of Ethics¹⁸ specifically directing nurses to prevent illness and injury. We must protect farmers, farmworkers, and rural neighbors and ban paraquat.

Sarah Bucic, MSN, RN, PMHCNS-BC is a Policy Analyst for the Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments.

Citations

1. U.S. EPA. (September 11, 2025). Paraquat Dichloride: One sip can kill. https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-worker-safety/paraquat-dichloride-one-sip-can-kill
2. Utyasheva, L., Amarasinghe, P. & Eddleston, M. (2025). Paraquat at 63—the story of a controversial herbicide and its regulations: It is time to put people and public health first when regulating paraquat. BMC Public Health, 25, 3089. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-23830-w
3. Park, S.K. et al. (2009). Cancer incidence among paraquat exposed applicators in the agricultural health study: prospective cohort study. International Journal of Occupational Environmental Health, 15(3): 274-81. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3058830/
4. Andreotti, G. et al. (2020). Occupational pesticide use and risk of renal cell carcinoma in the agricultural health study. Environmental Health Perspectives, 128(6): 67011. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32692250/
5. Omidakhsh, N. et al. (2022). Thyroid cancer and pesticide use in a central California agricultural area: A case control study. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 107(9): e3574–e3582. https://doi.org/10.1210/clinem/dgac413
6. Harari, A. (August 18, 2022). Researchers examine link between pesticides and thyroid cancer risk in central California area. UCLA Health. https://www.uclahealth.org/news/release/researchers-examine-link-between-pesticides-and-thyroid
7. Neeley, T. (November 19, 2025). EPA seeks more safety information on paraquat. Progressive Farmer. https://www.dtnpf.com/agriculture/web/ag/crops/article/2025/11/19/epa-reviews-paraquat-safety-new-data
8. Held, L. (January 28, 2026). The EPA is not starting a new review of paraquat. Civil Eats. https://civileats.com/2026/01/28/the-epa-is-not-starting-a-new-review-of-paraquat/
9. Gillam, C. (May 26, 2026). Vermont becomes first US state to ban paraquat herbicide over Parkinson’s fears. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/may/26/vermont-paraquat-weedkiller-ban
10. Environmental Working Group. (February 2026). State bills show building momentum to ban toxic weedkiller paraquat. https://www.ewg.org/news-insights/news/2026/02/state-bills-show-building-momentum-ban-toxic-weedkiller-paraquat
11. See EWG, 2026.
12. Fletcher, L., Nejman, A., & Aaron, N. (December 18, 2025). After our investigations, building momentum to ditch toxic chemical in IV equipment. https://thenationaldesk.com/news/spotlight-on-america/after-our-investigations-building-momentum-to-ditch-toxic-chemical-in-iv-equipment
13. Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. (2026). PFAS in products. https://www.pca.state.mn.us/get-engaged/pfas-in-products
14. Department of Ecology, State of Washington. (2026). Safer products for Washington. https://ecology.wa.gov/waste-toxics/reducing-toxic-chemicals/washingtons-toxics-in-products-laws/safer-products
15. U.S. House Discussion Draft, To cancel the registration of all uses of the pesticide paraquat, and for other purposes. https://d12t4t5x3vyizu.cloudfront.net/luna.house.gov/uploads/2026/06/Paraquat_Prevention_Act.pdf
16. Alvey, R. (June 22, 2026). Bipartisan House bill would ban paraquat pesticide. Civil Eats. https://civileats.com/2026/06/22/bipartisan-house-bill-would-ban-paraquat-pesticide/
17. American Nurses Association. (2021). Nursing: Scope and standards of practice (4th ed.). Standard 18: Environmental health. https://www.nursingworld.org/practice-policy/scope-of-practice/
18. American Nurses Association. (2025). Code of ethics for nurses. https://codeofethics.ana.org/home