Paraquat Dichloride 

Ingestion Risk Message 

for Pesticide 

Applicators
On December 24, 2014, the EPA distributed the following paraquat safety message and 

slides to the EPA’s listserv of pesticide safety applicators with the message below:

From: Fitz, Nancy 

Sent: Wednesday, December 24, 2014 8:45 AM

To: AAPSE@LISTSERV.VT.EDU

Subject: Ingestion risk from paraquat dichloride

Good morning,

This message is not exactly full of holiday cheer but includes important information. I am 

writing to ask for your help in warning the pesticide applicator community about the high 

toxicity of paraquat dichloride and the need to prevent accidental ingestions. We would really 

appreciate it if you could share this information with your colleagues and incorporate it into your 

training sessions over the next few months. I have included a 2.5-page Word document with the 

information as well as a few draft PowerPoint slides for your convenience.

The attached Word document describes the findings of a recent EPA incident investigation, 

where we found cases of eight deaths due to the accidental ingestion of paraquat dichloride. All 

eight accidental deaths involved the transfer of paraquat dichloride into a beverage container.

As you well know, the Core Manual includes instructions to never store pesticides in beverage or 

other food containers. The labels of paraquat clearly state “NEVER PUT INTO FOOD, DRINK 

OR OTHER CONTAINERS.” Yet this happens occasionally, which can lead to tragic results. 

The goal of providing this information to you all (and then to pesticide applicators) is to give 

some real-life examples that demonstrate WHY pesticide applicators should not store pesticides 

in beverage or food containers. 

If you have any questions about this information, please email or call me. I am in the office 

today and will be available next week on Tuesday (December 30) and Friday (January 2). 

Nancy Fitz

Office of Pesticide Programs

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

phone: 703-305-7385

email: fitz.nancy@epa.gov

web site: http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/regulating/containers.htm
Paraquat Dichloride Ingestion Risk Message for Pesticide Applicators

Paraquat Dichloride: One Sip Can Kill.

The Accidental Poisoning Problem 

The California Poison Control System and the Central California Children’s Hospital reviewed 

data from 1998-2009 and identified more than 1,400 cases of accidental poisonings caused by 

storage of non-food substances in soda bottles, unmarked bottles, cups or glasses. Several of the 

deaths involved the accidental ingestion of pesticides, including paraquat.1

Recent Deaths from the Accidental Ingestion of Paraquat 

The California Poison Control System and the American Association of Poison Control Centers 

(AAPCC) recently sent letters of concern to EPA regarding a series of deaths from accidental 

ingestion of the pesticide paraquat in the San Joaquin Valley of California. AAPCC cited 50 

deaths from paraquat; at least 12 were from accidental ingestion of paraquat from a beverage 

container. 

This is a major concern to EPA because paraquat is a Restricted Use Pesticide that should not be 

accessible to the general public and, as with all pesticides, should never be placed into a 

beverage container. Paraquat is highly toxic to humans; one small accidental sip can be fatal and 

there is no antidote. 

The product labels clearly prohibit pouring paraquat into food or beverage containers with the 

prominently-placed statements “NEVER PUT INTO FOOD, DRINK OR OTHER 

CONTAINERS” and “DO NOT REMOVE CONTENTS EXCEPT FOR IMMEDIATE USE.” 

Paraquat Use Profile 

Paraquat dichloride, commonly referred to as “paraquat,” is an herbicide registered in the United 

States since 1964 to control weeds in many agricultural and non-agricultural use sites. It is also 

applied as a pre-harvest desiccant on some crops including cotton. 

All paraquat products registered for use in the United States are Restricted Use Pesticides

(RUPs), which can only be sold to and used by certified applicators (and applicators under their 

direct supervision). There are no homeowner uses and no products registered for application in 

residential areas.

 1 Epidemiology of Accidental Poisoning Caused by Storage of Non-Food Substances in Food Containers and 

unmarked Bottles/Containers. Geller RJ, Kezirian R, Bangar P, Strong D, Carlson T. Children’s Hospital Central 

California; California Poison Control System (CPCS). Found online at:

http://informahealthcare.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/15563650903076924
Paraquat Dichloride Ingestion Risk Message for Pesticide Applicators

EPA Incident Investigation

The fatalities resulting from paraquat products transferred into beverage containers in California 

prompted EPA to investigate all reported cases. EPA conducted an investigation of all reports of 

fatal and high-severity paraquat incidents. EPA identified 27 paraquat fatality reports to date in 

its Incident Data System (IDS). The IDS database contains all registrant submissions of adverse 

health effects from pesticide products, as required by federal law (FIFRA §6(a)(2)). More than 

80% of all identified paraquat fatality cases reported to IDS were due to ingestion of the product.

 

At least eight of these 27 deaths were due to the accidental ingestion of paraquat. All eight of 

these accidental deaths involved transfer of paraquat into a beverage container. Several of these 

cases have occurred recently. A review of the SENSOR-Pesticides data identified additional

ingestion cases, including the fatal case of an 8-year-old child who drank the paraquat out of a 

soda bottle.

True Stories

In 2013, a 70-year-old female ingested some contents of a re-used iced tea bottle that 

contained paraquat, unknown to her. She went to the hospital awake and alert with persistent 

vomiting. Over the course of a 16-day admission, she evolved the classic picture of paraquat 

ingestion: corrosive gastrointestinal injury plus kidney and respiratory failure leading to 

death. 

In 2010, a 44-year-old male mistakenly drank paraquat, which he thought was fruit juice. He 

developed difficulty breathing and vomited blood. He was admitted to the hospital intensive 

care unit where he died after 20 days of aggressive treatment.

In 2008, an 8-year-old boy drank paraquat that had been put in a Dr. Pepper bottle, which he 

found on a window sill in the garage. He died in the hospital 16 days later. His older brother 

had used the product on weeds around the house and put it in the bottle in the garage. The 

older brother obtained the product from a family friend who is a certified Restricted Use 

Pesticide applicator. 

In 2003, a 49-year-old male took a sip from his coffee cup in which he had poured paraquat 

because the product’s bottle was deteriorating. He realized his mistake and went to the 

Emergency Department. At that time, he was vomiting, cold and sweating profusely. Doses 

of activated charcoal were administered and his stomach was pumped; morphine was 

provided for esophageal pain; and he was intubated to support breathing function on the 

fourth day. Aggressive supportive care continued until he died on the tenth day.

In 2000, a 15-month-old boy ingested paraquat that had been transferred into a Gatorade 

container and stored inappropriately. The boy survived in the hospital for 13 days after the 

ingestion and received aggressive treatment but died after suffering acute kidney and liver

failure.

In 2000, an 18-month-old boy ingested an unknown amount of paraquat solution from a 

bottle found in his father’s landscaping truck. He received multiple-dose activated charcoal 

treatment two hours after the ingestion. He suffered from lack of oxygen during the first 24 

hours followed by progressive liver, kidney, and cardio-pulmonary dysfunction. The boy

died 11 days after the ingestion.
Paraquat Dichloride Ingestion Risk Message for Pesticide Applicators

EPA Response

While EPA determines the appropriate regulatory response, we want to warn the applicator 

community about the high toxicity of paraquat.

It is the responsibility of pesticide applicators to ensure that RUP products are used safely and 

appropriately, including never transferring any pesticide product, including paraquat, into a 

beverage container. 

The Solution is YOU

ONE SIP CAN KILL!

To prevent the severe injury and/or death from paraquat ingestion, a paraquat product must: 

• Be used only by a certified applicator or under the direct supervision of a certified applicator;

• Never be transferred to a food, drink or any other container; 

• Always be kept secured to prevent access by children and/or other unauthorized persons;

• Never be stored in or around residential dwellings; and

• Never be used around home gardens, schools, recreational parks, golf courses or 

playgrounds.

Paraquat Dichloride Information Resources

• EPA’s Paraquat Dichloride Registration Review Docket, EPA-HQ-OPP-2011-0855, for 

information on EPA’s current re-evaluation of paraquat. This docket includes a letter from 

Dr. Gellar (California Poison Control System), the EPA response, and the AAPCC letter. 

http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=EPA-HQ-OPP-2011-0855

• Syngenta’s Paraquat Information Center: www.paraquat.com/safety
Paraquat Dichloride:

One Sip Can Kill !
Deaths from Accidental Ingestion 

of Paraquat

 Several accidental paraquat ingestion deaths have 

occurred in recent years.

 EPA looked into these deaths and found that such cases 

often occur as a result of the pesticide being transferred 

into a beverage container.

 This is a major concern to EPA because paraquat is a 

Restricted Use Pesticide and, like all pesticides, should 

never be placed into a beverage container.

 Paraquat is highly toxic to humans; one small accidental 

sip is often fatal and there is no antidote. 
Deaths from Accidental Ingestion 

of Paraquat

 The product labels clearly prohibit pouring paraquat 

into food or beverage containers with the prominentlyplaced statements:

“NEVER PUT INTO FOOD, DRINK OR OTHER CONTAINERS.”

“DO NOT REMOVE CONTENTS EXCEPT FOR IMMEDIATE USE.” 
True Stories

 In 2008, an 8-year old boy drank paraquat that 

had been put in a Dr. Pepper bottle, which he 

found on a window sill in the garage. He died in 

the hospital 16 days later. His older brother had 

used the product on weeds around the house 

and put it in the bottle in the garage. The older 

brother obtained the product from a family 

friend who is a certified Restricted Use Pesticide 

applicator. 
True Stories

In 2003, a 49-year old male took a sip from his coffee cup 

in which he had poured paraquat herbicide because the 

product’s bottle was deteriorating. He realized his mistake 

and went to the Emergency Department. At that time, he 

was vomiting, cold and sweating profusely. 

Doses of activated charcoal were administered and his 

stomach was pumped; morphine was provided for 

esophageal pain; and he was intubated to support 

breathing function on the fourth day. Aggressive 

supportive care continued until he died on the tenth day.
True Stories

 In 2000, a 15-month old boy 

ingested paraquat product 

that had been transferred into 

a Gatorade container and 

stored inappropriately. The 

boy survived in the hospital for 

13 days after the ingestion and 

received aggressive treatment, 

but died after suffering acute 

kidney and liver failure.

 In 2000, an 18-month old boy 

ingested an unknown amount 

of paraquat solution from a 

bottle found in his father’s 

landscaping truck. He 

received multiple-dose 

activated charcoal treatment 

two hours after the ingestion. 

He suffered from lack of 

oxygen during the first 24 hours 

followed by progressive liver, 

kidney, and cardio-pulmonary 

dysfunction. The boy died 11 

days after the ingestion.
Applicators: The Solution is You!

To prevent the severe injury and/or death from 

paraquat ingestion, a paraquat product must: 

 Be used only by a certified applicator or under the direct supervision 

of a certified applicator.

 Never be transferred to a food or drink container. 

 Always be kept secured to prevent access to children and/or other 

unauthorized persons.

 Never be stored in or around residential dwellings.

 Never be used around home gardens, schools, recreational parks, 

golf courses or playgrounds.