Monsanto Stunned – California Confirms ‘Roundup’ Will Be Labeled “Cancer Causing”
Sacramento, CA — California just dealt Monsanto a blow as
the state’s Environmental Protection Agency will now list glyphosate —
the toxic main ingredient in the U.S.’ best-selling weedkiller, Roundup —
as known to cause cancer.
Under the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986 — usually referred to as Proposition 65,
its original name — chemicals that cause cancer, birth defects, or
other reproductive harm are required to be listed and published by the
state. Chemicals also end up on the list if found to be carcinogenic by
the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) — a branch of the
World Health Organization.
In March, the IARC released a report that found glyphosate to be a“probable carcinogen.”
Besides the “convincing evidence” the herbicide can cause cancer in lab animals, the report also found:
“Case-control studies of occupational exposure in the U.S.A.,
Canada, and Sweden reported increased risk for non-Hodgkin lymphoma that
persisted after adjustments to other pesticides.”
California’s decision to place glyphosate on the toxic chemicals list
is the first of its kind. As Dr. Nathan Donley of the Center for
Biological Diversitysaid in an email to Ecowatch, “As far as I’m aware, this is the first regulatory agency within the U.S. to determine that glyphosate is a carcinogen. So this is a very big deal.”
Now that California EPA’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) has filed its “notice of intent to list” glyphosate
as a known cancer agent, the public will have until October 5th to
comment. There are no restrictions on sale or use associated with the
listing.
Monsanto was seemingly baffled by the decision to place
cancer-causing glyphosate on the state’s list of nearly 800 toxic
chemicals. Spokesperson for the massive company, Charla Lord, told Agri-Pulse that “glyphosate
is an effective and valuable tool for farmers and other users,
including many in the state of California. During the upcoming comment
period, we will provide detailed scientific information to OEHHA about
the safety of glyphosate and work to ensure that any potential listing
will not affect glyphosate use or sales in California.”
