Paraquat will continue to be used in Australia despite 70 countries banning weedkiller over Parkinson’s disease fears

The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority announced it will continue allowing paraquat—a herbicide banned in over 70 countries—to remain legal in Australia, though with stricter controls including phased elimination of backpack sprayers and reduced application rates. The regulator concluded after a 30-year review that available scientific evidence has not established a causal link between paraquat exposure and Parkinson's disease, though it acknowledged acute exposure risks to farmworkers. However, prominent neurologists and Parkinson's researchers dispute this assessment, with Prof. Wes Thevathasan citing multiple epidemiological studies showing paraquat increases Parkinson's risk threefold and claiming there is a 'global consensus' in his field supporting such a link. The decision reflects Australia's reliance on risk-based assessment (requiring manufacturers to prove actual harm) versus the precautionary approach used by the EU and many other nations (requiring manufacturers to prove safety), and comes amid broader questions about regulatory capture and whether Australia's approval system favors agricultural interests.