Glyphosate, widely used in agriculture, has been the focus of substantial regulatory and legal scrutiny. In the U.S., the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) currently allows glyphosate to be used but faces strong criticism and ongoing petitions from advocacy groups seeking its ban. In 2022, a court ruling required the EPA to reassess glyphosate’s impact on human health, environment, and endangered species due to concerns over cancer risk and environmental harm. The agency has since been tasked with conducting a more thorough review, particularly regarding its ecologicalp toxicity, which remains incomplete.
The EPA classifies glyphosate as “not likely to be carcinogenic to humans” when used as directed, a stance that conflicts with the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer, which labeled it “probably carcinogenic” based on other studies. This discrepancy has led to lawsuits against Bayer, which now owns Monsanto, the original manufacturer of glyphosate-based Roundup, for alleged links to non-Hodgkin lymphoma and other health issues.
Some regions, such as the European Union, have restricted glyphosate, though it is still used in the U.S. for both commercial and residential purposes. Bayer has committed to discontinuing residential Roundup sales but continues to market it for agricultural use, citing its safety under controlled applications.
In sum, while glyphosate remains approved in the U.S., it faces ongoing legal challenges, international restrictions, and debates over safety that could influence future regulatory changes   .
This would be such a monumental win for the plants, insects, animals and humans if we could ban glyphosate in our whole country!
And especially that we now have multiple alternatives using concentrated white vinegar in industrial amounts… but am part of a small Coaliton for the Land in Mercer County NJ and we are providing samples of nontoxic herbicides for our county park manager to try out this spring and if he feels one is effective and affordable he is willing to go to the board and switch over and end the use of glyphosate in all the parks and running/ biking trails… then next we will work with the schools to keep it off their playgrounds.
This has been a passion of mine ever since my father died of Double Hit Lymphoma when I was 13. DHL is a rare, aggressive mutation of Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. My father was exposed to heavy amounts of glyphosate while working on his grandfather’s farm over the summers. For a long time, he spent weeks at his grandparents’ farm, walking behind the sprayer while his grandfather sprayed Round Up with no protective clothing on. It breaks my heart that my father might be here right now if Monsanto had been honest and thought more about the lives and well-being of the people who are using Round Up than lining their pockets. My family received a settlement from Bayer a few years ago, but there is no amount of money that can make up for what I lost, what my family lost, and, most of all, what my father lost. I highly recommend reading the book The Monsanto Papers by Carey Gillam to learn more about the lawsuits. It focuses on the story of Dwayne “Lee” Johnson, who was the first man to bring Bayer to court for this matter. It makes me sick to think about the fact that corporations can profit off of a chemical that has killed people and is actively harming people. Every time I see Round Up on shelves in stores, all I think about is the fact that someone is lining their pockets with my father’s blood. Sorry for the long response, but I hope this has sparked more outrage in some of you. Hopefully, one day, we will be able to see glyphosate banned in the United States!