US chemical giant to stop producing herbicide called ‘toxic cocktail’ by critics

The American agricultural chemical giant Corteva announced this week that it will stop the production and sale of Enlist Duo, a controversial herbicide widely used across United States farmlands, following years of intense criticism from environmental and health advocates. The company’s decision comes amid growing scrutiny over the product’s formula, which combines glyphosate with 2,4-D—a primary component of the Vietnam War-era defoliant Agent Orange. Critics have long labeled the mixture a "toxic cocktail" due to its documented links to cancer and its devastating impact on non-target plant life and local ecosystems. While the discontinuation of Enlist Duo marks a significant shift in Corteva’s product lineup, the company is not entirely abandoning the use of the 2,4-D chemical. According to industry reports, Corteva intends to continue manufacturing and selling Enlist One, a related herbicide that utilizes the same controversial defoliant but does not include glyphosate in the pre-mixed solution. This strategic move allows the company to maintain its market share in weed control while ostensibly addressing some of the regulatory and public relations pressures surrounding the dual-chemical formulation. The environmental impact of these herbicides has been a focal point of litigation and scientific debate for decades. Glyphosate, the active ingredient in products like Roundup, has been categorized by some international health bodies as a probable carcinogen, while 2,4-D has been associated with various long-term health risks and environmental persistence. Environmentalists argue that the combination of these two potent chemicals in Enlist Duo exacerbated the danger of chemical drift, where the herbicide travels beyond the intended fields, damaging neighboring crops and wild habitats. Regulatory bodies in the United States have faced consistent legal challenges from advocacy groups seeking to ban these substances based on their threat to endangered species and human health. Although the removal of Enlist Duo from the market represents a victory for campaigners, many experts emphasize that the underlying reliance on 2,4-D in American industrial agriculture remains a significant concern. Corteva’s transition suggests an evolving corporate landscape where chemical manufacturers are forced to balance traditional pesticide profitability with increasing environmental accountability and the threat of large-scale lawsuits.