For years, farmers and agricultural workers have used pesticides to control weed and grass growth that can be detrimental to crops, dry out certain plants, and remove leaves from them before harvesting. But over time, regular pesticide use has caused plants to become resistant, leading to stronger – and in many cases, more toxic and dangerous – pesticides sprayed on crops.

Paraquat dichloride is a prominent example of a highly toxic, yet commonly used pesticide in the U.S. While it’s extremely effective and only sold commercially, the risks of using the pesticide are beginning to emerge. Research into the health effects of pesticides have demonstrated there may be serious dangers of working with paraquat.

In fact, studies have associated paraquat with a higher risk of Parkinson’s disease, among other illnesses. As a result, thousands of lawsuits have been filed against its manufacturers, including Syngenta and Chevron.