Mounting scientific evidence is raising serious concerns that long-term exposure to atrazine, one of the most widely used herbicides in the United States, may contribute to the development of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Wisner Baum attorneys investigating potential claims say farmworkers, pesticide applicators, and rural families may have been exposed for decades without adequate safety warnings.

LOS ANGELES, May 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- A growing body of scientific research is intensifying scrutiny of atrazine, one of the most commonly used herbicides in American agriculture, over its potential connection to non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) and other types of cancer.

At least 60 countries have banned atrazine, according to Health Policy Watch. Timothy A. Loranger, attorney and senior partner at Wisner Baum, a nationally recognized plaintiffs' law firm that represents farmers, pesticide applicators, landscapers, and others, said, "Atrazine is much more strictly regulated in the European Union. It was banned in 2004 when regulators determined the chemical's groundwater contamination was ubiquitous and unpreventable. Despite international restrictions, atrazine remains readily available in the U.S."

Used extensively on corn and soybean crops across the Midwest and other farming regions, atrazine has long been detected in groundwater, surface water, and private wells near agricultural communities. Recent epidemiological and laboratory studies have raised concerns that chronic exposure may cause endocrine disruption, oxidative stress, inflammation, and immune system effects associated with the development of cancer such as NHL—particularly among farmers, pesticide applicators, and rural residents exposed over long periods of time.

"What makes atrazine especially alarming is the scale and duration of exposure," Loranger said. "This is not an isolated chemical confined to industrial settings; it has been detected in drinking water sources and agricultural communities across the country for decades."

Loranger is working with Wisner Baum's Pedram Esfandiary, partner and trial attorney, to investigate potential claims involving individuals diagnosed with NHL after prolonged occupational or environmental exposure to atrazine.

Research Points to Atrazine and Elevated Cancer Risk

A 2025 evaluation by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified atrazine as "probably carcinogenic to humans", noting robust evidence that the chemical demonstrates hallmark characteristics of carcinogens. The organization concluded that atrazine causes oxidative stress, induces inflammation and acts as an immunosuppressant, along with other carcinogenic properties. These findings are consistent with broader environmental monitoring data demonstrating the pervasive presence of atrazine in agricultural communities.

A 2025 University of Nebraska Medical Center study analyzed decades of environmental monitoring data—including more than 27,000 groundwater samples and 31,000 surface water observations—and identified widespread atrazine contamination in private well water samples collected across several Nebraska farming counties. In Cass County, atrazine was detected in 93.75% of sampled wells, while counties including Phelps and Clay showed contamination rates above 80%.

"For decades, atrazine has been applied on a massive scale across American farmland while questions about its long-term health effects continued to grow," Esfandiary said. "When substantial scientific evidence begins pointing to a possible connection between chronic exposure and devastating diseases like cancer, the public deserves transparency, accountability, and a full examination of what manufacturers knew about those risks."

Unlike many consumer chemical products, atrazine exposure occurs primarily through occupational and environmental contact. Farmworkers, pesticide applicators, agricultural families, and residents living near heavily farmed areas may face repeated exposure through spraying operations, contaminated water sources, and agricultural runoff.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), approximately 72 million pounds of atrazine are applied annually in the United States, most heavily across Midwestern agricultural states. Researchers noted that the chemical is highly persistent in water and can remain stable for more than 200 days, increasing the likelihood of prolonged environmental exposure in rural communities.

Syngenta's Conduct Draws Renewed Attention

The investigation also comes amid renewed scrutiny of Syngenta, atrazine's manufacturer, following previously unsealed court documents and investigative reporting concerning the company's response to criticism of the herbicide.

According to investigative reporting published by Environmental Health News, internal records described efforts by Syngenta to challenge scientists and researchers who raised concerns about atrazine's safety, including alleged opposition research, undisclosed relationships with third-party advocates, and coordinated public relations campaigns intended to protect atrazine's market position.

The controversy stems in part from litigation involving contamination of public water systems, which resulted in a $105 million settlement related to atrazine filtration costs for more than 1,000 water systems across multiple states.

Although Syngenta denied wrongdoing and has maintained that atrazine is safe when used as directed, critics argue the records raise broader questions about transparency surrounding potential long-term health risks.

"Many of the people potentially affected spent years working to feed the country and may never have realized the dangers they were being exposed to," Esfandiary said. "As more research emerges linking atrazine to non-Hodgkin lymphoma, families deserve answers about whether these risks were known and adequately disclosed."

Investigation Focused on Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Claims

Wisner Baum's investigation is focused on individuals who worked in agriculture, handled pesticides, or lived near heavily farmed areas and were later diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma or other types of cancer.

The firm is reviewing potential claims involving long-term atrazine exposure and whether manufacturers adequately warned the public about possible health risks.

Individuals who have been diagnosed with NHL after extensive exposure to atrazine are encouraged to seek medical evaluation and learn more about available legal options by calling Wisner Baum at (855) 687-4410.

About Wisner Baum

Wisner Baum began with a simple but radical idea: the law should serve people, not protect power. Since opening its doors in 1985, the firm has gone far beyond courtroom victories. Based in Los Angeles and known across the U.S., Wisner Baum has built its legacy by holding powerful corporations accountable, not just to win justice for individual clients, but to spark broader societal change.

Every case they take on, from catastrophic injuries and pharmaceutical failures to environmental toxicity and corporate negligence, is part of a bigger mission: to make the world safer, more just, and more transparent for everyone. With more than $4 billion in verdicts and settlements, their legal victories have helped raise public awareness, influence regulations, and force industries to clean up harmful practices. Their work has become a catalyst for product safety reforms, food transparency, and medical accountability.

Wisner Baum isn't just a law firm. It's a movement for change, where justice isn't the end goal, but the beginning of a safer society.

Wisner Baum: Changing the System for Societal Change, One Case at a Time.

Learn more at wisnerbaum.com.

Sources:

1. Samantaroy, S. (2026, January 5). US EPA dismisses WHO cancer agency determination that widely used herbicide is probably carcinogenic. Health Policy Watch.
2. Egbuchiem, A. (2025). Assessing the impact of atrazine and paraquat on Parkinson's disease prevalence in rural Nebraska counties (Master of Public Health capstone project, University of Nebraska Medical Center). DigitalCommons@UNMC.
3. Cattley, R. C., De Roos, A. J., Mandrioli, D., Pearce, N., Pronk, A., Soshilov, A., et al. (2025). Carcinogenicity of atrazine, alachlor, and vinclozolin. The Lancet Oncology, 27(1). thelancet.com/journals/lanonc/article/PIIS1470-2045(25)00702-8/fulltext
4. Environmental Health News. (2013, June 17). Special Report: Syngenta's campaign to protect atrazine, discredit critics.
5. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (2020). Atrazine: Interim registration review decision. epa.gov/ingredients-used-pesticide-products/atrazine-interim-registration-review-decision
6. Beseler, C. L., et al. (2021). Atrazine levels in rural Nebraska counties and Parkinson's disease (MPH capstone project, University of Nebraska Medical Center). DigitalCommons@UNMC.

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