In the United States, diquat is used everywhere—from the potato fields of the Pacific Northwest to the watersheds of New England and the weeds wilting along suburban sidewalks. Approved by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), this fast-acting herbicide remains a go-to chemical for farmers and home gardeners. A growing body of scientific research, however, has highlighted the harmful effects resulting from its widespread use.
Unfortunately, I know about it because of a truly horrifying British PSA (“Apaches”) from before it was banned about the dangers of playing on a farm. Among other things, one of the children has a doll tea party and uses bottles and bowls for props. She meant to only pretend to drink from an unmarked brown clay bottle…