Dursban Parkinson’s Disease Lawsuit Overview

Dursban lawsuits are being investigated for exterminators, termite technicians, homeowners, landscapers, maintenance workers and others who developed Parkinson’s disease after repeated exposure to the chlorpyrifos-based insecticide.

For decades, Dursban was widely used inside homes, apartment buildings, schools, restaurants and other commercial properties, as well as around foundations, lawns and landscaped areas. It became especially well known for termite treatments, which often involved applying large amounts of diluted pesticide beneath concrete slabs and into soil surrounding a structure.

Exposure may have occurred while mixing concentrate, filling sprayers, treating indoor surfaces, drilling and injecting pesticide beneath buildings, applying lawn products or cleaning contaminated tanks, hoses and equipment. Residents and employees may also have encountered residue left on floors, carpeting, soil, concrete and other treated surfaces.

Research has linked long term chlorpyrifos exposure to an increased risk of Parkinson’s disease, including a study published in Molecular Neurodegeneration that found more than a 2.5 fold increased risk among individuals with the highest levels of long term residential exposure.

Chlorpyrifos Parkinson’s disease lawsuits now allege manufacturers failed to adequately investigate or warn that repeated residential and occupational exposure could cause permanent neurological damage and Parkinson’s disease years or decades later.

Widespread Use of Dursban

Dursban became one of the best-known residential chlorpyrifos brands in the United States after Dow Chemical introduced the pesticide during the 1960s. Unlike chlorpyrifos containing Lorsban, which was marketed primarily through agricultural suppliers, many Dursban products were made available to ordinary homeowners.

Consumer formulations could be purchased from:

• Hardware stores
• Home-improvement stores
• Lawn-and-garden centers
• Nurseries
• Farm and feed stores
• Department stores
• Local pesticide dealers

Professional pest-control companies obtained concentrated products and commercial formulations through industry suppliers and authorized distributors.EPA documents from 2000 described chlorpyrifos as one of the five leading insecticides used in residential settings.

At the time, there were approximately 822 registered products containing the chemical, with approved uses that included indoor pest control, structural applications, turf, ornamental plants and certain pet products.

By 2000, more than 20 million pounds of chlorpyrifos were being applied annually in the United States. EPA estimated that approximately half was used around homes, gardens and lawns, including extensive termite treatments.

Dursban and Parkinson’s Disease

Despite Dursban’s widescale use, chlorpyrifos has now been named in lawsuits following research linking long-term exposure to chlorpyrifos with an increased risk of Parkinson’s disease and damage to the brain cells responsible for producing dopamine.

A 2025 study published in Molecular Neurodegeneration found that people with long-term chlorpyrifos exposure near their homes had more than a 2.5-fold increased risk of developing Parkinson’s disease. The association was strongest among individuals with the longest exposure histories, particularly during the 10 to 20 years before diagnosis.

Researchers also exposed mice to airborne chlorpyrifos in a manner intended to resemble human inhalation. The animals developed movement problems, loss of dopamine-producing neurons, brain inflammation and increased pathological alpha-synuclein, which are key features associated with Parkinson’s disease. Zebrafish testing further indicated that chlorpyrifos disrupted the cellular process used to remove damaged proteins, contributing to dopamine-neuron death.

• Loss of dopamine-producing neurons
• Movement and coordination problems
• Inflammation in the brain
• Abnormal alpha-synuclein accumulation
• Disruption of cellular waste-removal processes

These findings are particularly relevant to Dursban because the insecticide was widely applied inside and around homes, apartments, schools, businesses and other occupied properties.

Unlike pesticides used primarily on farms, Dursban could leave chlorpyrifos residue on indoor surfaces, beneath foundations, throughout lawns and in areas where residents and workers continued spending time after the application ended.

Potential lawsuits allege that manufacturers failed to adequately investigate or warn that repeated Dursban exposure could contribute to permanent neurological damage and Parkinson’s disease years or decades later.

How Can Dursban Exposure Contribute to Parkinson’s Disease?

Chlorpyrifos is an organophosphate insecticide designed to disrupt the nervous system.

According to research, the chemical blocks acetylcholinesterase, an enzyme needed to regulate communication between nerves and muscles. This causes the nervous systems of insects to become overstimulated, resulting in paralysis and death.

Researchers examining long-term human health effects have identified additional biological changes that may be involved in Parkinson’s disease, including:

• Oxidative stress
• Mitochondrial dysfunction
• Chronic brain inflammation
• Damage to dopamine-producing neurons
• Alpha-synuclein accumulation
• Impaired removal of damaged cellular material

Dopamine-producing brain cells help control smooth, coordinated movement. Parkinson’s symptoms develop as those neurons become damaged or die.

The disease may progress slowly, which means an exterminator, termite technician, landscaper or homeowner could stop using Dursban many years before experiencing tremors, muscle stiffness, slowed movement or balance problems.

Potential Dursban Parkinson’s Disease Symptoms

Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurological disorder that primarily affects movement but may also cause cognitive, emotional, digestive and sleep-related problems. Early symptoms may be subtle. A person may notice a slight tremor in one hand, reduced arm movement while walking or increasing difficulty completing ordinary tasks.

Family members may notice changes in posture, speech, facial expression or handwriting.

Movement Symptoms

• Tremors
• Muscle stiffness
• Slowed movement
• Shuffling steps
• Balance and coordination problems
• Reduced arm swing
• Changes in posture
• Smaller handwriting
• Speech problems
• Difficulty chewing or swallowing

Non-Movement Symptoms

• Loss of smell
• Sleep disorders
• Depression and anxiety
• Fatigue
• Constipation
• Urinary problems
• Dizziness when standing
• Memory problems
• Cognitive decline

While there is no cure for Parkinson’s disease, treatment may include medication, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy and deep brain stimulation for certain patients. However, as the disease progresses, individuals may lose the ability to work, drive or live independently.

Dursban Exposure That May Have Caused Parkinson’s Disease

Dursban exposure frequently occurred in places where people lived and worked rather than on remote agricultural property.

The pesticide was sprayed inside homes, apartments, restaurants, schools and commercial buildings. It was also applied beneath concrete foundations, around building perimeters and across lawns and landscaped areas. People could therefore encounter chlorpyrifos while:

• Mixing or applying Dursban
• Working inside recently treated rooms
• Touching treated floors, carpeting or walls
• Living above soil treated for termites
• Maintaining sprayed buildings
• Walking or working on treated lawns
• Cleaning contaminated equipment
• Handling pesticide-covered work clothing

Residents and employees were not always told which pesticide had been applied or how long residue could remain in the treated area.

This widespread residential and structural use distinguishes Dursban claims from lawsuits involving pesticides used primarily in agriculture.

Dursban Termite and Structural Pest Control

Termite treatment was one of Dursban’s most important and exposure-intensive uses.

Dursban TC and other chlorpyrifos termiticides were applied beneath and around buildings to create a chemical barrier between termite colonies and the structure. Treatments could involve:

• Drilling through basement or concrete floors
• Injecting pesticide beneath slabs
• Trenching around foundations
• Saturating soil beside exterior walls
• Treating crawlspaces
• Applying pesticide around plumbing and utility lines
• Treating soil before foundations were poured
• Spraying structural wood

Depending on the property, technicians could prepare and pump substantial amounts of diluted Dursban through truck-mounted tanks, hoses and soil-injection equipment.

Exposure may have occurred while measuring concentrate, operating pumps, moving treatment hoses, repairing leaks, drilling application holes or cleaning equipment. Residents could also encounter chlorpyrifos vapor or residue after Dursban was applied beneath or around an occupied building.

Household, Lawn and Commercial Uses of Dursban

Dursban was also widely used to control insects inside buildings and throughout surrounding property. Indoor applications were made:

• Along baseboards
• Under sinks
• Beneath appliances
• Inside cabinets
• Around plumbing openings
• Near floor drains
• In closets
• Around doors and windows
• In basements and crawlspaces
• Behind restaurant equipment

Outside, Dursban was applied to building foundations, porches, patios, garages, garbage areas, lawns, shrubs, trees and other landscaped areas. The pesticide was commonly used against:

• Termites
• Cockroaches
• Ants
• Fleas
• Ticks
• Crickets
• Spiders
• Silverfish
• Chinch bugs
• Sod webworms
• Grubs
• Borers
• Mites

Professional pest-control technicians could perform several applications during a single workday, while homeowners may have repeatedly used Dursban around the same property over many years.

Dursban Products Our Firm Is Investigating

The Dursban name appeared on several liquid, powder and granular insecticides developed for residential, structural and commercial pest control.

Although the formulations differed in concentration and application method, each contained chlorpyrifos and may have exposed users during mixing, application, equipment cleanup or contact with treated areas.

• Dursban TC: A concentrated termiticide used to treat soil beneath and around residential and commercial buildings. Technicians diluted the product before pumping it through hoses and soil-injection equipment beneath concrete slabs, alongside foundations and around plumbing openings. Large termite jobs could require repeated mixing, tank filling, drilling, hose handling and equipment cleanup.
• Dursban 1-12 and Dursban 1E: These liquid insecticides were used around building exteriors, foundations, lawns and landscaped areas. Historical labels included applications to porches, patios, garages, window frames, doorways, eaves and surrounding soil, including perimeter treatments extending several feet around a structure.
• Dursban 2E and Dursban 2EC: Sold as emulsifiable liquid concentrates, these products were diluted before indoor, outdoor and structural pest-control applications. Exposure could occur while opening containers, measuring concentrate, filling sprayers or handling leaking pumps and hoses. Some later labels limited use to commercial applicators or individuals under their supervision.
• Dursban ME20: Designed as a microencapsulated insecticide, this formulation was used by professional pest-control operators in homes, restaurants, warehouses, manufacturing facilities and other commercial properties. Workers could encounter chlorpyrifos while preparing the mixture, spraying treated areas and cleaning contaminated equipment.
• Dursban Lawn and Ornamental Products: Available as liquids, sprays and granules, these products were applied to grass, shrubs, trees, flowers and other landscaped areas. Homeowners, landscapers and groundskeepers used them against grubs, chinch bugs, sod webworms, ticks, fleas, ants, mites, borers and other pests.
• Dursban 4E: A concentrated liquid formulation generally handled by trained or supervised applicators. Depending on the label and time period, it was used on turf, ornamental plants, industrial properties and exterior building surfaces.
• Dursban 50W: This wettable-powder formulation was mixed with water before spraying flowers, shrubs, evergreens, vines, shade trees and flowering trees. Later versions were packaged in water-soluble packets, although exposure could still occur if packets broke or residue remained inside tanks, hoses and spraying equipment.

Identifying Dursban Exposure From Years Ago

The individual exposed to Dursban may not have been the person who purchased it. A landlord, employer, maintenance department or outside exterminator may have selected and supplied the pesticide. Residents and employees may therefore remember the treatment but not the product name.

Details that may help identify past Dursban use include:

• The pest-control company that serviced the property
• The store where the pesticide was purchased
• The insects being treated
• The approximate years treatments occurred
• The appearance of the container
• Whether a liquid, powder or granular product was used
• Whether technicians drilled through floors or foundations
• The equipment used during the treatment
• Where pesticide containers were stored

For example, a homeowner may remember technicians drilling holes through a basement floor and pumping pesticide beneath the house. An exterminator may recall mixing Dursban before treating apartments, restaurants or hotels.

Those details may help locate old invoices, treatment contracts, property records or witnesses familiar with the application.

Why EPA Eliminated Most Residential Dursban Uses

EPA concerns included contact with treated floors, carpeting, soil and grass, as well as inhalation of chlorpyrifos following termite applications.

• 1965 — Chlorpyrifos Entered the U.S. Market: Chlorpyrifos was first registered in the United States in 1965. Dow Chemical later marketed the pesticide under the Dursban name for residential, structural, termite, lawn and commercial pest control. Review EPA’s chlorpyrifos regulatory history
• 1997 — Initial Residential Safeguards Were Adopted: EPA reached an agreement with chlorpyrifos manufacturers intended to reduce household exposure, particularly among children. The action followed a review of more than 200 reported incidents involving chlorpyrifos exposure in homes and included changes to certain indoor applications, labels and packaging. Read EPA’s 1997 chlorpyrifos announcement
• June 2000 — EPA Phases Out Residential Use: EPA and chlorpyrifos manufacturers agreed to eliminate nearly all residential uses and end production for most household products by the close of 2000. Uses removed or phased out included home-and-garden sprays, residential lawn treatments and most termite applications in completed homes. EPA indicated the changes were intended to reduce exposure among children and other people living in treated properties. Read EPA’s June 2000 residential chlorpyrifos agreement
• 2001 and Later — Household Products Were Removed or Restricted: Retail sales of most residential chlorpyrifos products ended under deadlines established by the 2000 agreement. Termite treatments in existing buildings were eliminated or phased out, while some remaining products were limited to commercial or certified applicators. Previously purchased Dursban may still have remained in homes, sheds, pest-control vehicles and commercial inventories after the restrictions took effect.
• 2020 — Corteva Ended Chlorpyrifos Production: Corteva announced that it would stop manufacturing chlorpyrifos products by the end of 2020. The decision ended new production but did not immediately remove Dursban already held by distributors, pest-control companies or other commercial users.
• June 2024 — EPA Canceled Dursban 50W: EPA issued a final cancellation order for Corteva’s Dursban 50W in Water Soluble Packets on June 25, 2024. The order also established requirements governing the sale, distribution and use of remaining product stocks. Read EPA’s Dursban 50W cancellation announcement

What the Residential Phaseout Means for Dursban Claims

The removal of residential Dursban uses does not establish that every application caused Parkinson’s disease. However, the regulatory history confirms that chlorpyrifos was widely used in homes, buildings and lawns before EPA concluded that most residential applications should no longer continue.

Many potential claimants handled Dursban throughout the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. A Parkinson’s disease diagnosis may not have occurred until years or decades after the pesticide was last used.

Dursban Lawsuit Allegations

Dursban lawsuits allege that manufacturers failed to adequately investigate and disclose the long-term neurological risks associated with repeated chlorpyrifos exposure. The claims may allege that Dow, Corteva and other responsible companies:

• Failed to adequately study long-term residential exposure
• Failed to investigate the risk of Parkinson’s disease
• Sold an unreasonably dangerous pesticide
• Failed to warn about permanent neurological damage
• Minimized or concealed evidence of neurotoxicity
• Marketed Dursban for widespread use in homes and buildings
• Failed to provide adequate instructions for avoiding chronic exposure
• Relied on inadequate or misleading safety studies
• Focused warnings on immediate poisoning rather than long-term disease
• Continued selling Dursban without adequate Parkinson’s disease warnings

Historical labels warned that chlorpyrifos could cause acute organophosphate poisoning and could be harmful if swallowed, inhaled or absorbed through the skin.

However, lawsuits may argue that those warnings did not adequately inform homeowners, exterminators, termite technicians and other workers that repeated exposure could contribute to Parkinson’s disease many years later.

The claims do not allege that everyone who encountered Dursban will develop Parkinson’s disease. Each case requires an individual review of the diagnosis, duration and frequency of exposure, work or residential history and evidence identifying the pesticide involved.

Evidence for a Dursban Lawsuit

Many individuals used Dursban years or decades ago and no longer have a product container or purchase receipt. That does not necessarily prevent a claim from being investigated.

Evidence that may help establish Dursban exposure includes:

• Pest-control invoices
• Termite-treatment contracts
• Termite warranties
• Exterminator service schedules
• Property inspection reports
• Home-purchase documents
• Apartment maintenance records
• Hardware-store or pesticide receipts
• Employment and payroll records
• Pest-control licenses
• Applicator certifications
• Employer purchasing records
• Equipment-maintenance documents
• Photographs of pesticide containers
• Photographs of work vehicles or storage areas
• Statements from coworkers and family members
• Statements from landlords, tenants or property managers

Treatment methods and job duties may also provide important clues. Records showing repeated termite treatments, indoor exterminating work or lawn applications during the years Dursban was commonly sold may help identify the likely product and formulation.

An original container or receipt is not required before contacting a lawyer. Product identification may be developed through property records, employer documents, pest-control contracts and statements from people familiar with the treatments.

Contact a Dursban Parkinson’s Disease Lawyer

The Parkinson’s disease lawyers at Saiontz & Kirk is reviewing Dursban lawsuits for exterminators, termite technicians, homeowners, landscapers, groundskeepers, maintenance workers and others diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease after repeated exposure to the chlorpyrifos-based insecticide.

Our lawyers will review the individual’s residential and employment history, properties treated, job duties, application methods, years of potential exposure and medical records.

It is not necessary to remember the exact Dursban formulation or locate an old pesticide container before requesting a free claim review.

There are no upfront legal fees or expenses. Claims are handled on a contingency fee basis, which means Saiontz & Kirk receives no attorney fee or reimbursement of expenses unless compensation is obtained.

Call 1-800-522-0102 or complete the form to speak with a Dursban Parkinson’s disease lawyer.

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