BILL NUMBER: S9094
SPONSOR: HARCKHAM
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to
prohibiting the use of the pesticide paraquat
 
PURPOSE:
This legislation would prohibit the use, distribution, sale and purchase
of pesticides containing paraquat.
 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section one provides the legislative findings.
Section two amends section 33-1301 of the environmental conservation law
by adding a new subdivision 14.
Section three establishes the effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
According to the New York Department of Environmental Conservation,
paraquat, a highly toxic herbicide, is used in 28 counties across the
state, with trends showing a decrease in use. More than 70 countries
have banned the use of paraquat, including major agricultural-producing
nations like China, Brazil, the European Union, and Turkey. Although
ChemChina, which owns paraquat maker Syngenta, is a Chinese state enter-
prise, paraquat cannot be used in China. Similarly, although Syngenta's
headquarters are in Switzerland, paraquat cannot be used in Switzerland.
And although paraquat is manufactured in the United Kingdom, paraquat
cannot be used legally in the UK.
The evidence linking paraquat to Parkinson's disease is clear. Studies
show that working in fields or living near fields where paraquat has
been sprayed significantly increases the chances of developing
Parkinson's disease. People who live or work near fields where paraquat
has been sprayed could be twice as likely to develop Parkinson's
disease. A study using data from the NIH found people who sprayed para-
quat were more than twice as likely to develop Parkinson's disease as
those who applied other pesticides. A 2025 study found that people
living near golf courses, where paraquat could be used prior to 2021,
were more likely to develop Parkinson's disease. Paraquat has also been
linked to other health harms, such as non-Hodgkin lymphoma, forms of
kidney cancer, thyroid cancer, and other thyroid issues. In rural areas,
exposure to paraquat during pregnancy may increase the risk of leukemia.
Paraquat remains in the soil for many years and can be re-suspended in
dust. Banning the use of paraquat in New York State will protect farm-
ers, farmworkers, and rural residents.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill.
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
Undetermined.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This bill shall take effect on January 1, 2027.

Statutes affected:
S9094: 33-1301 environmental conservation law