Article
[PDF] full report: "Paraquat: unacceptable health risks for users"
...the pesticide causes daily suffering to an extremely large number of farmers and workers. Problems resulting from paraquat exposure are found around the world: from the United States to Japan and from Costa Rica to Malaysia. The injuries suffered are debilitating and sometimes fatal...In developing countries in particular, paraquat is widely used under high-risk conditions...The report concludes that alternatives are available and their implementation must become a priority, along with a phase out of paraquat...Paraquat should be immediately prohibited in developing countries...It should be phased out in all countries to prevent unacceptable harm. [refers to Syngenta; reductions in herbicide use by Chiquita; phase-out of paraquat by Volcafe (part of ED&F Man); role of Nestlé, Kraft Foods (part of Altria), Sara Lee in establishing code of conduct for coffee]