Paraquat

[Martyn]

Paraquat pesticide maker used “weak” data on Parkinson’s

A UK pesticide producer did not look at key health records in its Parkinson's study, legal papers show.

www.bbc.co.uk

I can think of two sprayer operators who got to early 60s but no longer with us, both with chemical related body conditions, is this a national wide scandal?

 

[Kentishfarmer]

There's been strong evidence linking Paraquat to Parkinsons for years, very glad it's been banned here since the 2000s. I always thought it was mad that they can manufacture it here to sell to the rest of the world when they know its too dangerous to be used in this country, but its ok to make it here apparently

 

[will_mck]

There's an ole boy in his late 70's comes to us to cut up an odd fallen tree from time to time. He worked for 60 years as a farm labourer, he was telling me the last time he visited that he remembers being sent out to spray gramoxone and he sometimes put his full arm into the tank mix, no gloves or anything and his arm used to come out of the tank coloured green. Anyway in his late 70's he has the work rate of 2 men, I've never seen anyone cut up a tree single handedly as quick. He keeps 2 chainsaws, when the one he's working with runs out of petrol he picks up the 2nd beside him and keeps cutting away. I don't think the gramoxone thing gave him super human skills but it certainly doesn't seemed to have harmed him any, although when he told me the story I thought he was mad!

 

[Spencer]

There's an ole boy in his late 70's comes to us to cut up an odd fallen tree from time to time. He worked for 60 years as a farm labourer, he was telling me the last time he visited that he remembers being sent out to spray gramoxone and he sometimes put his full arm into the tank mix, no gloves or anything and his arm used to come out of the tank coloured green. Anyway in his late 70's he has the work rate of 2 men, I've never seen anyone cut up a tree single handedly as quick. He keeps 2 chainsaws, when the one he's working with runs out of petrol he picks up the 2nd beside him and keeps cutting away. I don't think the gramoxone thing gave him super human skills but it certainly doesn't seemed to have harmed him any, although when he told me the story I thought he was mad!

Some old boys do like to embellish their tales, not saying that this one was but can’t see much point dipping whole arm into tank, unless he dropped his watch

 

[yorkie]

still healthy bar heart attack and stents , sprayed thousands of acres not doing how bad it was at the time , no ppe open cab , 65 this year

 

[will_mck]

Some old boys do like to embellish their tales, not saying that this one was but can’t see much point dipping whole arm into tank, unless he dropped his watch

I was thinking the same when he was telling me this. He said it was because there was a blockage but I could think of a circumstance why this would happen

 

[farenheit]

There's an ole boy in his late 70's comes to us to cut up an odd fallen tree from time to time. He worked for 60 years as a farm labourer, he was telling me the last time he visited that he remembers being sent out to spray gramoxone and he sometimes put his full arm into the tank mix, no gloves or anything and his arm used to come out of the tank coloured green. Anyway in his late 70's he has the work rate of 2 men, I've never seen anyone cut up a tree single handedly as quick. He keeps 2 chainsaws, when the one he's working with runs out of petrol he picks up the 2nd beside him and keeps cutting away. I don't think the gramoxone thing gave him super human skills but it certainly doesn't seemed to have harmed him any, although when he told me the story I thought he was mad!

Case closed chaps!

 

[Kidds]

Had a pipe burst once on sprayer and practically filled the cab with paraquat drenching me.
Used it many many times in a knapsack for days and went home with yet another shirt turned green down the back.
Plenty of others in my large family did the same and worse. I can't think of any of us that have any ailments that directly relate to chemicals but cousin is sensitive to organophosphates.

 

[Kentishfarmer]

There are going to be a lot of people that were exposed to paraquat and will be absolutely fine, some individuals will just never be affected by such things. It's classic survivor bias though and doesn't mean it's safe for all.
My Grandmother smoked for decades and is still going strong in her late nineties - it doesn't mean smoking is safe though

 

[quattro]

My eldest brother used to work for a spray company in the 70s when he left school
first part of his job was 2 of them one at each end of the field acting as markers for helicopters and planes spraying
usually spraying peas and potatoes and presumably a lot of Chems which are now banned
he’s now 68 and ok

 

[snarling bee]

Its banned here and presumably in the EU.

IIRC its still in use in Australia and other parts of the world. Could our Aus. correspondents confirm??

 

[Spencer]

My eldest brother used to work for a spray company in the 70s when he left school
first part of his job was 2 of them one at each end of the field acting as markers for helicopters and planes spraying
usually spraying peas and potatoes and presumably a lot of Chems which are now banned
he’s now 68 and ok

There’s a PA number for that job isn’t there?

 

[Happy]

Only ever used it once. Certainly smelt like it would do you serious harm.

 

[snarling bee]

Paraquat is a clear odourless liquid, hence the added colour and stenching agent to stop anything drinking it.

 

[Bogweevil]

Ah a knapsack of Gramoxone, those were the days, thank heavens for Roundup.

 

[deleted user 837354]

Both paraquat and diquat were very nasty to eyes and internal organs.

I hadn't ever heard it was linked to Parkinsons. Dieldrin and similar seed coatings etc I understand were?

I think the main reason they were banned was because of off-target effects on wildlife.

 

[solo]

The PIPAH research has been going for a decade now and has shown no correlation between users of pesticides and health issues. It is a broad spectrum study with volunteers from various backgrounds who have/are worked/ing with pesticides both old and new.

 

[ridger]

still healthy bar heart attack and stents , sprayed thousands of acres not doing how bad it was at the time , no ppe open cab , 65 this year

Open cab would probably be safer , our sprayer tractor smells like a chemical store inside

 

[betternextyear]

I have been doing the Pipah study for years now. After reading the annual reports it seems farmers and farm workers who use pesticides are happier and healthier than the general population.

 

[Two Tone]

IMO, it was only that it was invented and manufactured by ICI in 1962, that it was given approval for use.
ICI was the biggest single manufacturer in the UK at that time and the pride of the British Government.

Had any other manufacturer done so, it is highly unlikely to have got a license for use.