A renewed effort is underway to prohibit a controversial herbicide associated with Parkinson's disease, with campaigners cautioning that Australians residing near farms and golf courses may be vulnerable.
Independent Senator David Pocock and Parkinson's Australia are intensifying demands for a nationwide ban on paraquat, arguing that Australia has lagged behind dozens of other countries that have already outlawed the chemical due to health concerns.
Despite being under scrutiny in Australia for nearly three decades, paraquat continues to be extensively used by farmers nationwide, even as more than 70 nations, including the United Kingdom and European Union members, have banned it.
"In that 30 years that they've been reviewing this chemical, 70 countries around the world have banned it," Pocock said. "They've looked at it and said this is too much of a risk to human health and to the environment. The UK and the EU banned this back in 2007. We've still got Aussie farmers using this every day."
The renewed pressure coincides with warnings from Parkinson's Australia that diagnoses are rapidly increasing and could triple by 2050.
"Parkinson's is set to triple by 2050, which is going to be an absolute epidemic in Australia," said Parkinson's Australia CEO Olivia Nassaris. "We need to do something now because of the pressure that it's going to put on our economy and our health system."
Large-scale studies have established a connection between paraquat exposure and the occurrence of Parkinson's disease. Advocates highlight emerging concerns about the herbicide's volatility, suggesting the risks may extend beyond those directly handling the product.
A new study under review by the EPA and the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) indicates that paraquat can remain airborne after spraying. "Not just when someone like a farmer is using PPE and spraying their crops, but actually on a golf course in waterways," Nassaris said. "So people around farms and around golf courses aren't safe."
The National Farmers Federation has defended paraquat, describing it as an essential tool for weed control and sustainable crop production. However, Pocock argued that protecting human health should take priority.
"I would have thought that their farmers' health would have been their number one priority," he said. "I'm really worried here in Australia that we are pretty lax when it comes to looking at the impacts of these chemicals on human health and on the environment."
Nassaris stressed that campaigners are not aiming to undermine the agricultural sector but rather want governments to assist farmers in transitioning to safer alternatives. "We are not hippies that are trying to ban a chemical and trying to destroy the food industry in Australia," she said. "We want the government to work hand-in-hand with farmers to put together alternative practices so that our farmers are safe."
With Parkinson's diagnoses now reaching 50 Australians per day, pressure is mounting on regulators to decide whether paraquat should remain on the market.
