The U.S.-based agrochemical giant Monsanto finds itself at the forefront of another controversy. Monsanto, which dominates the agriculture market with its genetically modified seeds and herbicides, has drawn unwanted scrutiny after a new report linked one of its most popular herbicides to potential health hazards.
Glyphosate, one of the primary ingredients in Monsanto’s ubiquitous weed killer Roundup, has been classified as a probable carcinogen. The report by the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) was based on a body of existing evidence suggesting that those people exposed to glyphosate experienced higher incidence of non-Hodgkin lymphoma than those not exposed to the chemical. Other studies cited in the IARC report found that glyphosate can lead to DNA and chromosomal damage in human and animal cells in vitro, which can lead to cancer.
Glyphosate is not just found in Roundup – it can be found in approximately 750 products worldwide. While glyphosate can be found in the cupboards of many home gardeners globally, its industrial application has increased dramatically in the wake of the development of GMO-resistant crops. Spraying Roundup or other glyphosate-based chemicals across large swaths of land allows conventional farmers to demolish weeds while leaving their crops intact.
The classification of glyphosate as a probable carcinogen was not welcome news to Monsanto. The company released a statement defending Roundup, stating that “all labeled uses of glyphosate are safe for human health.”
In 2012, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reviewed glyphosate and concluded that it was safe. But it might be time to take another look.
**********
.
Web Links
United Nations warns on pesticides
A WHO report says a Monsanto weed killer ingredient is probably causing cancer
Photo, posted May 5, 2014, courtesy of Mike Mozart via Flickr.
.
Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.