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“One sip can kill!” The US environmental agency warns against the pesticide paraquat. The toxic herbicide, which the agrochemical giant Syngenta sells in about 100 countries under the name Gramoxone, is banned in Switzerland and the EU. Deaths from the pesticide are believed to number in the tens of thousands.
Former Syngenta chemist Jon Heylings (65) internally pointed out the risks of the pesticide decades ago. The toxicologist, who was responsible for the safety of paraquat products between 1986 and 2007, described his hitherto futile fight at the “Rundschau” last night. SRF-Magazin has internal documents evaluated by the non-governmental organization Public Eye. These show how Syngenta has put profit before product safety at Paraquat and has accepted thousands of deaths.
Internal criticism was ignored
The weed poison, which has been produced since 1962, is one of the Basel-based company’s best sellers. As he did 30 years ago, Heylings criticizes that the dose of emetics added to paraquat products for safety reasons is ineffective. Quick vomiting is said to prevent poisoning. To induce vomiting quickly enough after taking a lethal dose, the amount must be increased significantly.
As a young investigator, he informed his superiors that Syngenta was referring to an internal report that had been tampered with in regards to dosing. But even 30 years later, Syngenta hasn’t changed a thing in terms of concentration. In developing countries, but also in the US, accidental ingestion often leads to death. Furthermore, suicides by deliberate ingestion, mostly by desperate farmers, are widespread. South Korea illustrates the risk: After the paraquat ban in 2011, suicides fell by as much as 40 percent.
Syngenta rejects the accusations
The Basel agromulti responded: “The fact that Syngenta accepts paraquat kills is completely unfounded, and we strongly reject this claim. Product safety always comes first. Syngenta has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in paraquat safety since its inception.
Furthermore, current clinical findings do not justify an increase in the amount of added emetic. Organizations like the World Health Organization do not support Heylings’ point of view.
Things have calmed down around Syngenta in Switzerland since it was acquired by a Chinese chemical company in 2015. However, the group is currently spending millions to fight the potable water and pesticides initiative with lobbyist Swiss Food.
The fact that Heylings is going public with his criticism right now has to do with a lawsuit by farmers against Syngenta in the United States next month. They blame paraquat for their Parkinson’s disease. The Briton, who has been a professor of toxicology at Keele University for years, will testify in this context. Public Eye and the UK investigative office of Greenpeace Unearthed have spent months viewing hundreds of documents that Syngenta was forced to disclose in the context of this litigation.
Published: March 24, 2021, 9:59 p.m.
Last update: 24.03.2021, 22:02 pm
