Login
Syngenta Settles Bellwether US Trial Over Paraquat Links to Parkinson’s
On the eve of the opening of what would have been a bellwether US trial over allegations that a widely used weed killer causes Parkinson’s disease, paraquat-maker Syngenta reached a settlement with the retired landscaper who blamed the company for his diagnosis with the incurable brain disease. The trial, which was set to open Wednesday in Philadelphia, was to be the first public examination of evidence that Syngenta’s paraquat weed killing products can cause Parkinson’s.
Syngenta’s paraquat-based Gramoxone herbicide brand is popular with US farmers.
The case was expected to spotlight decades of scientific research and a cache of internal corporate files related to the safety of paraquat and specifically the impacts exposure to the chemical can have on the brain. It was expected to be closely watch as US regulators are in the middle of a years-long review of paraquat and there are growing calls for a US ban on paraquat because of health concerns.
New legislation seeking bans on paraquat were introduced this month in Pennsylvania, Missouri and Vermont. Paraquat has been used in the United States since 1964 as a tool to kill broadleaf weeds and grasses. Though banned in several countries, it remains popular with US farmers for use in growing soybeans, cotton, and corn as well as in growing grapes, pistachios, peanuts and many other crops.
Clorox to Pay $14M Over ‘Serious Injury or Death’ Risk in Recalled Products
The Clorox Company has agreed to pay a $14.15 million civil penalty after federal regulators said the manufacturer failed to immediately alert authorities to a potential bacterial contamination risk in its Pine‑Sol scented multi‑surface cleaners.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) said the penalty resolves allegations that Clorox “knowingly failed to immediately report,” as required by law, that certain Pine‑Sol scented cleaning products contained a defect capable of creating a substantial product hazard or posing an unreasonable risk of serious injury or death.
According to the CPSC, Clorox microbiologists flagged the issue as early as 2019, documenting contamination in storage tanks and finished product that they described as “possibly a Pseudomonad.” Around the same time, Clorox received reports of cloudy Pine‑Sol bottles in retail stores, and a distributor filed a similar complaint involving multiple locations.
While the company took internal steps to address the potential contamination, regulators say Clorox did not promptly report the issue to the Commission. “Prompt reporting of safety risks saves lives, and CPSC will not hesitate to enforce the law when companies fail to meet their obligations,” CPSC Acting Chairman Peter A. Feldman said, adding that the settlement “sends a clear message” to firms that delay reporting hazards.
PFAS Are Turning up in the Great Lakes, Putting Fish and Water Supplies at Risk – Here’s How They Get There
No matter where you live in the United States, you have likely seen headlines about PFAS being detected in everything from drinking water to fish to milk to human bodies.
PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a group of over 10,000 synthetic chemicals. They have been used for decades to make products waterproof and stain- and heat-resistant – picture food wrappers, stain-resistant carpet, rain jackets and firefighting foam.
These chemicals are a growing concern because some PFAS are toxic even at very low levels and associated with health risks like thyroid issues and cancer. And some of the most common PFAS don’t naturally break down, which is why they are often referred to as “forever chemicals.”
Now, PFAS are posing a threat to the Great Lakes, one of America’s most vital water resources. The five Great Lakes are massive, with over 10,000 miles of coastline (16,000 kilometers) across two countries and containing 21% of the world’s fresh surface water. They provide drinking water to over 30 million people and are home to a robust commercial and recreational fishing industry.
Map Shows States With Most Drinking Water Violations
A recent study has revealed the states that have the highest number of drinking water violations and unlawful contaminant levels served across numerous facilities. The study, carried out by the filtered showerhead company Afina, found that West Virginia had both the highest number of violations and unlawful contaminant levels per 100 residents served in its drinking water facilities, meaning it had the lowest drinking water cleanliness ranking out of all the states.
The quality of U.S. drinking water has frequently come into the spotlight — with studies and research highlighting the vast number of contaminants in water served to Americans nationwide. Major studies have recently uncovered the serious impact of even low levels of arsenic in drinking water—a contaminant present at unlawful levels in various states—while others have highlighted the widespread contamination of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as PFAS chemicals, in drinking water systems.
As the current U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been looking to roll back certain drinking water standards, concern is building over the quality of American drinking water, although some critics have questioned the methodology of Afina’s study.
