Thousands of Americans suing Syngenta over its paraquat weed killer may never see their day in court as repeated legal delays outpace their worsening health and rising death tolls.
Carey Gillam reports for The New Lede.
In short:
- Plaintiffs with Parkinson’s disease claim Syngenta’s paraquat herbicide caused their illness and that the company hid the risks. Many of the plaintiffs, including lead plaintiffs in early bellwether trials, have died before reaching trial.
- Internal Syngenta documents reveal the company was aware of paraquat’s potential link to Parkinson’s for years and tried to discredit scientists and withhold evidence from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
- A tentative federal settlement is in progress, but terms remain undisclosed and controversial. Lawyers say the deal favors large firms while leaving individual plaintiffs with little compensation.
Key quote:
“A majority of bellwether plaintiffs have now died. Years have passed since the close of discovery for the first round of bellwether cases. It is time to move these cases toward trial expediently.”
— attorneys for the plaintiffs
Why this matters:
Parkinson’s disease, a progressive neurological disorder with no cure, is affecting more people than ever before. Scientists increasingly suspect pesticides like paraquat, one of the most widely used herbicides in American agriculture, play a role. Paraquat use has persisted despite growing bans overseas and alarming health data because it is cheap and effective — and the U.S. regulatory system has struggled to keep up. The EPA has failed to act decisively even as internal industry documents suggest companies like Syngenta actively worked to suppress risk information. Farmers and rural communities are most exposed, but residues can travel through air and water, raising broader public health concerns. This case underscores how corporate influence and legal stalling can prevent accountability, even when scientific evidence of harm mounts.
Related: Move to consolidate US paraquat litigation as cases mount against Syngenta
This was shown first on: https://www.ehn.org/delays-in-syngenta-paraquat-lawsuits-leave-parkinsons-patients-dying-without-trial
