Corteva ends production of controversial herbicide containing agent orange and glyphosate

Chemical giant Corteva has announced it will stop manufacturing Enlist Duo, a herbicide that environmental groups have dubbed a “toxic cocktail” due to its combination of Agent Orange and glyphosate. Both chemicals have been extensively linked to cancer and severe ecological damage, making the product one of the most controversial pesticides still in use across the United States.

The decision to discontinue Enlist Duo marks a significant victory for environmental advocates who have long campaigned against the herbicide’s use in American agriculture. Agent Orange, infamously deployed as a chemical weapon by US forces during the Vietnam War, was used to strip away jungle vegetation but left a devastating legacy of health problems among both American veterans and Vietnamese civilians. Combining this notorious defoliant with glyphosate—another widely criticized herbicide—created what critics considered an especially dangerous agricultural product.

However, the environmental community’s celebration may be tempered by the fact that Corteva will continue producing other herbicides that still contain the Vietnam War-era Agent Orange component. This means that while one particularly potent combination is being removed from the market, farmers and ecosystems may still face exposure to the controversial defoliant through other Corteva products.

The company’s decision comes amid growing scrutiny of agricultural chemicals and their impact on human health and the environment, reflecting broader shifts in public awareness about pesticide safety and corporate responsibility in the chemical industry.