This herbicide is so toxic it’s been banned in over 70 countries. But plants in the South are releasing it into the air.

A Sipcam Agro plant in Wayne County, Mississippi, is the largest emitter of paraquat in the U.S., a herbicide banned in over 70 countries due to its toxicity and link to Parkinson’s disease. Despite its risks, paraquat use in the U.S. has grown, with 35% of large farms using it to kill weeds and dry crops, while the herbicide remains unregulated as a federal air pollutant.