Autumn McClain  |  March 27, 2020

Category: Cancer

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farmer harvesting potatoes

Despite years worth of successful lawsuits and several scientific Roundup studies showing the opposite, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) declared in February that glyphosate, the main ingredient in Monsanto Co.’s weedkiller Roundup, in all likelihood does not cause cancer.

According to Law360, farming and food groups such as the Rural Coalition and the Farmworkers Association of Florida have filed a petition to have the EPA’s pesticide registration for glyphosate reviewed. Roundup is currently the most commonly used pesticide in the world.

The Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry (ATSDR) reports that glyphosate toxicity has been linked to respiratory effects and cancer. A study conducted in 2012 found that glyphosate exposure can lead to “DNA damage and cancer in humans”. However, the EPA argued that, while the chemical may be harmful to pollinator species, it probably doesn’t cause cancer. Petitioners say the EPA has “failed to collect basic data on how much glyphosate is taken into human bodies via skin contact or inhalation of spray droplets.” 

Roundup Cancer Studies and Glyphosate Toxicity

There is widespread disagreement on whether or not glyphosate is a carcinogen. According to the Food and Drug Administration, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) found that glyphosate may be a carcinogen while other groups such as the European Food Safety Authority have found that it “is unlikely to be a carcinogen”. However, there is some question about whether or not these negative results are reliable.

The IARC which took into account several different studies, on the other hand, ranks glyphosate as a “Group 2A” carcinogen. This means it is not as dangerous as other well-known carcinogens like formaldehyde and UV radiation, according to Business Insider. The IARC found that, while some studies didn’t show a connection between glyphosate and cancer, these studies followed up with subjects for too short a time. On a long enough time frame, the study may have shown different results.

Inappropriate Basis for EPA Approval

Business Insider (BI) reported there is “compelling evidence” that the EPA is wrong about the pesticide. A paper reviewed and published by the Environmental Sciences Europe explored the conflicting conclusions of the EPA and IARC. This paper found that the EPA relied on “registrant-commissioned, unpublished regulatory studies, 99% of which were negative.” The IARC primarily used peer-reviewed studies 70 percent of which were positive. The paper also found that the EPA didn’t take into account or address “higher occupational exposures and risks”. 

The paper noted that the EPA and IARC took into account two different types of glyphosate exposure: technical glyphosate, and formulated glyphosate-based herbicides (GBHs) and aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA) respectively. Their findings concluded that the EPA was wrong not to take into account formulated GBHs because they represent “all commercial uses and human exposures”. No herbicides on the market are made of just technical glyphosate.

Roundup Cancer Lawsuits and the Future of Glyphosate

As recently as this year the EPA has maintained that there is no risk to human health posed by glyphosate toxicity. Despite this, in mid-2019, Business Insider reported that more than 13,000 lawsuits had been filed against Monsanto over cancer allegedly caused by their herbicide Roundup. These lawsuits were primarily filed by professional groundskeepers and gardeners and others who consistently and repeatedly use Roundup in the course of their profession.

Settlements amounting to as much as $2 billion have been reached by plaintiffs across the country. According to CBS News, Roundup accounted for $4.8 billion in revenue in 2015 and has continued to rise in popularity. Bayer, the owner of Monsanto, has announced they will put $5.6 billion towards finding an alternative to glyphosate in the next ten years.

If you or a loved one developed cancer after using Roundup as a farm worker or home gardener, you may have a legal claim. Legal migrant farm workers may also seek help. Learn more by filling out the form on this page for a FREE case evaluation.

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