Ingredient Index

Is Diquat banned in Europe?

Banned in EU

Yes: the EU refused to renew diquat in 2018, citing operator and aquatic risk. In the US it is still widely sprayed as a pre-harvest desiccant to dry down potatoes, soybeans, and other crops before harvest.

CAS: 2764-72-9 Also seen as: Diquat, Diquat dibromide, Reglone

What the EU does

Not renewed. In October 2018 the European Commission declined to renew diquat, and its approval lapsed. EFSA had concluded that exposure to operators using diquat as a potato desiccant exceeded the acceptable safety level, and it flagged risks to aquatic organisms and to bystanders.

Diquat is a fast-acting contact herbicide that was popular precisely because it dries a crop down quickly before harvest. The EU decided that convenience did not outweigh the exposure math, and pulled it.

Citation Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/1532 (non-renewal of diquat); EFSA conclusion on the peer review of diquat, 2015 (AOEL exceedance for potato desiccation)

What the US does

Still registered. The US EPA continues to approve diquat, and it is a go-to desiccant across American agriculture, used to dry down potatoes, soybeans, cotton, and other crops so they can be harvested on schedule. It is also sold for aquatic weed control and to home gardeners.

Notably, the EPA has not opened a review of diquat comparable to the European one; its last major registration review dates back decades. So a chemical Europe removed over operator safety remains a standard pre-harvest tool in the US.

Citation US EPA registration of diquat dibromide (herbicide/desiccant); no reregistration review comparable to the 2018 EU non-renewal

Products that commonly contain it

Diquat is a pre-harvest spray, not a listed ingredient, so it can ride on:

Conventionally grown potatoes
Soybeans, and products made from them
Cotton and some grain and seed crops
Imported produce grown where it is still permitted

What to look for on a label

You will not see it on a label, so the signals are indirect:

Desiccation is a harvest-stage step, not disclosed on the product
Certified-organic crops prohibit diquat
EU-market crops face tighter residue limits after the ban

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Frequently asked questions

Is diquat banned in Europe?

Yes. The EU did not renew its approval in 2018, largely because operator exposure during potato desiccation exceeded acceptable levels, along with aquatic and bystander concerns.

Is diquat still legal in the US?

Yes. The US EPA still registers it, and it is widely used as a pre-harvest desiccant on potatoes, soybeans, and other crops.

Is it related to paraquat?

They are chemical cousins in the same family, and both are EU-banned. Paraquat is the more acutely toxic of the two and carries its own long safety history.

Related ingredients

Primary sources

Last reviewed August 13, 2026 · How we assign statuses