Nearing end of review, EPA finds no risk to human health from glyphosate
Glyphosate, the most widely used herbicide in the world, poses no threat to human health when used as directed and is unlikely to cause cancer, said the EPA in an interim decision on Thursday. Environmental groups denounced the decision as faulty.
Glyphosate not likely to cause cancer in people, says EPA
A draft human health risk assessment of the most widely used weedkiller in the world concludes that glyphosate is not likely to be a human cancer agent, says the Environmental Protection Agency.
WHO cancer agency says its ruling on glyphosate was evenhanded
The director of the UN International Agency for Research on Cancer rebutted criticism of his agency’s listing of glyphosate, the most widely used herbicide in the world, as probably carcinogenic to humans, saying the criticism included “repeated misrepresentations” of the IARC’s deliberations.
France, an EU ag giant, will vote against 10-year glyphosate license
France is open to phasing out use of the weedkiller glyphosate within its borders and will vote against a proposed 10-year EU license for the weedkiller, said Prime Minister Edouard Philippe. Reuters reported that Philippe asked the agriculture and environment ministries to propose by the end of this year "a plan to move away from glyphosate in light of current research and available alternatives for farmers."
California to add glyphosate to its list of carcinogens
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 was delayed while Monsanto challenged the decision in court.
U.S. official encouraged EU to disregard study questioning glyphosate
The former head of EPA's cancer assessment review committee, Jess Rowlands, advised European counterparts to disregard a study that linked cancer in mice to glyphosate, the most widely used weedkiller in the world, said The Guardian. It said court documents show that Rowlands "had previously told Monsanto he would try to block a U.S. inquiry into the issue."
Europe poised to give glyphosate another chance
The European Commission will propose granting glyphosate — the world’s most common weedkiller and the key ingredient in Monsanto’s Roundup — a 10-year renewal of its license. The commission had held off on making the proposal over controversy that the chemical was carcinogenic.
Europe debates using formaldehyde in livestock feed
The European Commission has been in a two-year deadlock over whether to remove formaldehyde from livestock feed. The chemical, which is used to kill salmonella, has been linked to cancer.
Pesticide-disclosure bill resurrected in Hawaii
After three Hawaiian counties lost efforts to regulate GMOs and require pesticide disclosure on the local level, Democratic state Rep. Richard Creagan is proposing a change to a state bill that would require agribusinesses to reveal what kinds of pesticides they are using, where they are using them, and in what quantities.
Greenpeace says EU reviewers of glyphosate have a conflict of interest
Greenpeace claims that several members on the European Chemical Agency (ECHA), set to decide today whether to grant the controversial pesticide glyphosate another 15-year license to be sold in the EU, have a conflict of interest, says The Independent.
California’s draft rules on pesticide use near schools fall short, critics say
California’s newly released draft rules on pesticide use are designed to curtail the use of pesticides near schools and daycare centers, but critics say they don’t go far enough in reducing exposures to children. The draft rules released Thursday by the state's Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) come more than two years after scientists with the Department of Public Health released a study showing that California growers applied more than half a million pounds of carcinogens, reproductive poisons and other hazardous pesticides within a quarter mile of public schools each year.
California’s wastewater irrigation could spread toxins, says report
Oil wastewater used to irrigate food crops in California’s Central Valley was found to contain carcinogens and other toxins in a preliminary report by scientists from the University of California, Berkeley, the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, the University of the Pacific, and the nonprofit PSE Healthy Energy.