Paraquat

Paraquat Latest News

Telangana recently banned paraquat, one of the world’s most widely used and highly toxic weedicides, becoming only the third State in India to do so.

About Paraquat

• Paraquat, or paraquat dichloride, is a toxic chemical that is used worldwide as an herbicide (plant killer), usually for weed and grass control. 
• Paraquat’s origins date back to the 1880s, when it was first developed as a chemical dye. Its herbicidal properties were discovered in the 1950s.
• It is a synthetic (human-made) herbicide. 
• It is also used as a desiccant, which dries out the crop before harvest. Paraquat is sometimes used as a plant growth regulator. 
• It may induce or delay flowering. It has no residual activity in soil. 
• Major Concerns:
  • It causes many health issues and human fatalities each year from accidental exposure and suicide. 
  • It is known for its extreme toxicity and lack of a specific antidote. 
  • When paraquat is ingested, it damages the lining of the mouth, stomach, and intestines upon contact. 
  • It then spreads throughout the body, damaging organs, but primarily the lungs, liver, and kidneys. 
  • More than 70% of paraquat self-poisonings result in death. 
• Paraquat is banned in 74 countries. 
• It is not yet banned nationwide in India. In India, Kerala became the first State to ban it in 2011. 
• Other states which banned paraquat are Odisha, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh.

News: TH

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