New Studies and Responses to Dangerous Roundup Ingredient
For years, Roundup has been one of the best-selling weed killers. Many Americans have used it in their yards and their farms. Roundup’s active ingredient is glyphosate, the most commonly used herbicide in the United States. According to paper in the journal Environmental Sciences Europe, Americans have sprayed more than 2.4 billion pounds of glyphosate in the just in the last decade.
Glyphosate was introduced by Monsanto, manufacturer of Roundup, in 1974. The patent for glyphosate expired about 20 years ago, and the herbicide is currently used in over 750 products. While Monsanto no longer holds an herbicide patent, the agriculture giant holds a patent on glyphosate as an antibiotic. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 100 million pounds of glyphosate are used in lawns and farms in the U.S. annually.
Why Is Glyphosate Harmful?
A new analysis in the scientific journal Mutation Research found that glyphosate increases the cancer risk of those exposed to it by 41%. The analysis, which was done at the University of Washington, evaluated existing studies into the glyphosate and found that it greatly increases the risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), a cancer of the immune system.
All published studies on the effect of glyphosate on humans were analyzed in the study. Co-author Rachel Shaffer said that the research provides the most up-to-date analysis of glyphosate and its link with Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma.
Among the studies examine was one from 2018 that looked at over 54,000 individuals who work as licensed pesticide applicators. Studies on animals were also analyzed.
Researchers concluded that there is a “compelling link” between glyphosate exposure and a higher risk of developing non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Senior author Lianne Sheppard said she was “convinced” of the carcinogenic properties of the chemical.
If you have suffered cancer or another catastrophic illness because of exposure to Roundup, you deserve full and fair compensation for your losses. To learn more about the link between Roundup and cancer, contact the personal injury lawyers at The Driscoll Firm, llc We fight for justice for victims in product liability cases.
Study Says Roundup Has Toxic Effect On Human Cells
Researchers have found that glyphosate in Roundup can suffocate human cells. A French study conducted at the University of Caen found that Roundup’s ingredients increased the toxic effect on human cells, even in amounts more diluted than those used on lawns and farms.
The study’s authors wrote their research confirms that the inert ingredients in Roundup are not inert, and the mixtures available on the market could cause cell damage and even death. found on crops, such as soybeans, alfalfa, and corn, that were treated by Roundup and lawns and gardens.
The study’s findings contribute to the debate over inerts, which are the solvents, preservatives, and other substances that manufacturers add to herbicides and pesticides. About 4,000 inert ingredients are approved for use by the Environmental Protection Agency in the U.S.
According to the EPA, herbicide products contain both “active” and “inert” ingredients. An “active ingredient” prevents, destroys, or repels a pest, or is a plant regulator. All other ingredients are called “inert ingredients” by law and are important for a product’s performance. In the case of Roundup, glyphosate is the active ingredient. By law, active ingredients must be identified by name on the herbicide’s label along with its percentage by weight.
Lawsuits Against Monsanto Yielding Huge Awards
Last year, a groundskeeper from San Francisco sued chemical giant Monsanto, which produces Roundup and is now owned by Bayer, for causing his non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. The man was awarded $289 million in damages. The jury found that Roundup “substantially” contributed to his illness and Monsanto acted with “malice.” The ruling said that, despite warnings from scientists, Monsanto failed to “adequately warn” the public of Roundup’s dangers. Monsanto should have put warning labels on Roundup products, explaining the potential health hazards.
There are currently more than 13,400 pending lawsuits against Monsanto and its parent company Bayer. Many plaintiffs are alleging that Roundup caused their cancer.
A California jury awarded more than $2 billion to a California couple who sued Bayer, claiming the glyphosate-containing Roundup weed killer caused their cancer. The California couple were both diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma after they had used the glyphosate regularly on their lawn between 1975 and 2011. They filed their lawsuit two years ago after being diagnosed with lymphoma in 2011 and 2015, respectively. The jury set punitive damages at $1 billion for both the husband and wife, now in their 70s, plus another $55 million in damages. The jury found Monsanto responsible for the couple’s cancers and found unanimously that the company should be punished for failing to warn users that the herbicide was dangerous.
World Health Organization Says Glyphosate Is Carcinogenic
Many of the pending lawsuits cite a key finding from the World Health Organization (WHO). In 2015, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, the WHO’s cancer agency, concluded that it was “probably carcinogenic to humans”.
In 2016, a joint report by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the UN said that in some studies there is “evidence of a positive association between glyphosate exposure and risk of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.” It concluded that glyphosate “is unlikely to pose a carcinogenic risk to humans from exposure through the diet”.
If you have been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma and have been exposed to Roundup, you need the experienced attorneys of The Driscoll Firm, llc to help fight back against this unscrupulous company. Contact The Driscoll Firm, llc at 866-753-8734 to schedule a free and confidential consultation with one of our highly skilled Roundup lawyers. We will make sure you obtain the justice and compensation you deserve.
Dangers of Glyphosate in Food
Glyphosate is often found in food. Glyphosate residue can be found in produce, meat, and packaged foods, to name a few. A 2018 French study showed an 86% lower incidence of non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma when participants ate organic food, which does not allow the use of glyphosate.
In another study, a team of French government scientists analyzed 68,946 to determine if those who ate more organic foods had lower cancer rates. Their study, which was published online by JAMA Internal Medicine last year, found that people consuming organic food had 25% lower overall cancer risk compared to the group of people reporting very little or no consumption of organic food.
While glyphosate is still legal throughout the United States, a growing number of countries around the world are recognizing its health risks and banning it.
Over a dozen countries have banned or severely restricted the use of glyphosate, including Bahrain, Belgium, Bermuda, Colombia, El Salvador, France, Kuwait, the Netherlands, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, and the United Arab Emirates.
How U.S. States and Cities Are Responding to Glyphosate’s Dangers
In July 2017, California became the first state in the nation to list glyphosate to the state’s Proposition 65 list of chemicals known to cause cancer. OEHHA’s decision was in accordance with the requirements of the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act, AKA Proposition 65, a ballot initiative approved in 1986 to address toxic chemical exposure. Prop 65 requires the state to publish a list of chemicals known to cause cancer, birth defects, or other reproductive harm.
While glyphosate hasn’t been nationwide, some U.S. cities are taking measures against glyphosate. Roundup is currently banned in Boulder, Colorado for use on plants in city parks. Chicago has ceased using glyphosate in public spaces. Warwick, Massachusetts restricts the use of Roundup by all town residents. For over 30 years, Portland, Oregon has restricted the use of Roundup. However, Roundup was reportedly being used in public parks as recently as fall of last year.
Glyphosate doesn’t just cause cancer. The herbicide has been linked to a wide variety of ailments. Glyphosate has been linked to digestive problems caused by imbalances in gut bacteria. It has been linked in studies to birth defects such as microcephaly. An analysis conducted in Sri Lankan farming region found that glyphosate may interact with local hard water and nephrotoxic metals. A French study found that Roundup, more so than glyphosate by itself, killed human liver cells.
Contact Us
If you have been diagnosed with a form of cancer and have been frequently exposed to Roundup, you need the help of The Driscoll Firm, llc to help fight back against a notoriously disreputable company in Monsanto.
Contact The Driscoll Firm, llc at 866-908-6214 to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with one of our skilled Roundup lawsuit lawyers. We will make sure you get the justice and full and fair compensation you deserve.
