Australia Tightens Paraquat Controls as Global Reassessment Widens

Australia's pesticide regulator issued new restrictions on paraquat and diquat herbicides on 23 June 2026, citing insufficient risk management for human health and environment. The move aligns Australia with the EU (which banned paraquat in 2007), Switzerland, and several Asian nations reassessing bipyridylium compounds. The APVMA chose restrictions over prohibition—calibrating rather than withdrawing approval—while farmers flag paraquat's irreplaceable role in managing glyphosate-resistant weeds.