EPA Takes Strong Steps to Prevent Poisonings and Protect Workers from Paraquat

"The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to take action to stop poisonings caused by accidental ingestion of the herbicide paraquat, which can also cause severe injuries or death from skin or eye exposure. 

“We are taking tough steps to prevent people from accidentally drinking paraquat and to ensure these tragic deaths become a thing of the past,” said Jim Jones, assistant administrator for the office of chemical safety and pollution prevention. “We are also putting safety measures in place to prevent worker injuries from exposure to this pesticide.”

Since 2000, there have been 17 deaths – three involving children caused by accidental ingestion of paraquat. These cases have resulted from the pesticide being illegally transferred to beverage containers and later mistaken for a drink and consumed. A single sip can be fatal. To prevent these tragedies, EPA is proposing: 

New closed-system packaging designed to make it impossible to transfer or remove the pesticide except directly into the proper application equipment;

Special training for certified applicators who use paraquat to emphasize that the chemical must not be transferred to or stored in improper containers; and 

Changes to the pesticide label and warning materials to highlight the toxicity and risks associated with paraquat..."
Paraquat