Syngenta Says It Will Stop Making Pesticide Linked to Parkinson’s Disease
Syngenta, maker of a controversial pesticide linked to Parkinson’s disease, said on Tuesday that it would stop making its paraquat weed killer by the end of June.
The announcement comes as the company is facing several thousand lawsuits brought by people in the US who allege they developed Parkinson’s disease due to their exposure to Syngenta’s paraquat products.
The company did not mention the litigation in its announcement.
The announcement cites “significant competition” from generic producers of paraquat and a “less than 1 percent” contribution to the company’s global sales as reasons for exiting the paraquat business.
“This decision is about focusing our resources where they deliver the greatest value for our business and our customers,” Mike Hollands, president of Syngenta UK and head of Syngenta’s global production and supply, said in a statement.