In less than two weeks, California will list glyphosate, the most widely used weedkiller in the world, to its list of known carcinogens, said the state Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment. The listing, set to occur on July 7, was delayed while Monsanto challenged the OEHHA decision in court.
“Monsanto’s challenge was unsuccessful in the trial court. Although the case has been appealed, no stay of the listing has been granted,” said the agency, so it will go ahead with the listing. Monsanto has been conducting a global campaign to persuade regulators that the herbicide is safe despite a 2015 finding by the WHO cancer agency that glyphosate is “probably carcinogenic to humans.” An EPA white paper said the chemical “is not likely to be carcinogenic to humans,” but members of an expert panel assembled by the EPA were divided over that assessment at a meeting last December.
California law requires that substances identified by the WHO cancer agency as carcinogens must be added to the state list of materials known to cause cancer, said the OEHHA in March, when it first announced it would add glyphosate to the list.
Monsanto said it “will continue to aggressively challenge this improper decision,” reported Reuters. The news agency said companies would be required to add warning labels to glyphosate sold in California under the OEHHA listing.