New Report Shows That The Most Popular Weed-Killer In The U.S. Probably Causes Cancer

The most popular weed-killer in the United States — and possibly the world — “probably” causes cancer, according to a new report from the World Health Organization (WHO).

Published Thursday in the journal The Lancet Oncology, the report focuses on a chemical called glyphosate, invented by Monsanto back in 1974 as a broad-spectrum herbicide. It’s the active ingredient in Roundup, a popular product used mostly in commercial agriculture production. Roundup is particularly good for genetically modified crops, which can be bred to resist damage from the product while it kills the weeds surrounding it.

In the U.S., glyphosate is not considered carcinogenic. The Environmental Protection Agency’s current position is that “there is inadequate evidence to state whether or not glyphosate has the potential to cause cancer from a lifetime exposure in drinking water.” In the wake of Thursday’s report, however, the EPA said it “would consider” the U.N. agency’s findings. …

Aside from debate over its cancer-causing effects, the active ingredient in Roundup has been shown to be harmful to humans in other ways. When exposed to heightened levels long-term, the EPA says glyphosate can cause kidney damage, and could have harmful reproductive effects. Acute exposure can cause congestion of the lungs and an increased breathing rate, according to EPA.

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17 Scientists Speak Out: Monsanto’s Roundup is Causing Cancer

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said it would consider the French agency’s evaluation. But given US government agencies’ decisions and political ties, hope is dismal that they will do anything to limit its use. The EPA’s 2012 assessment of glyphosate concluded that it met the statutory safety standards and that the chemical could “continue to be used without unreasonable risks to people or the environment.”