HL Deb 13 April 1994 vol 553 c94WA
Lord Kennet

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether in their view Paraquat is "environmentally friendly".

The Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne

Pesticide products containing paraquat may not be labelled "environmentally friendly". All pesticide products are subject to conditions of use which ensure that any risk to the environment from their approved use is contained within acceptable limits.

Lord Kennet

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What is the lethal dose of Paraquat for an adult.

The Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne

The lethal dose of paraquat will depend on the route of exposure and the individual adult concerned. TheHandbook of Pesticide Toxicology (Hayes, Wayland and Lawes, 1991) suggests that an acute oral dose of over 5 ml of 20 per cent. solution (about 14 mg/kg body weight) could be fatal.