Review 576 – Glyphosate and Other Pesticides and Toxics

In our latest Review we have a roundup of NEW RESEARCH on glyphosate, including the latest on how it can increase blood pressure, cause intestinal damage, and trigger other serious diseases, not to mention causing malformations in frogs. We also have more on the mysterious brain disease cluster in Canada and the aggressive cancers hitting women farmers in Brazil, both of which are being linked to glyphosate exposure (see THE AMERICAS). We cover the problems with glyphosate contamination of not just food, water, and public spaces, but even the manure used to help grow food – and the damaging results (see CONTAMINATION). We also have the latest on two lots of lawsuits weighing on Bayer-Monsanto – the Roundup ones costing the company billions and the PCB ones that just keep coming. We finish with a section on OTHER PESTICIDES that includes the latest on dicamba and neonicotinoids.

ROUNDUP LAWSUITS

Bayer reports heavy drop in profits amid ongoing Roundup cancer lawsuits

Bayer cut its forecast for 2024 operating earnings after a poor performance in its agrochemicals division hit quarterly profits. The group reported a net loss of 4.18 billion euros ($4.45 billion) in the third quarter, with revenues in its agricultural unit down 3.6 percent. A heavy drop in sales of its key glyphosate-based Roundup weedkillers – at the centre of long-running legal fights over claims they cause cancer – weighed particularly heavily. Bayer shares have lost more than three-quarters of their value since its Monsanto takeover.

NGOs to take EU Commission to court over re-approval of glyphosate

A group of European NGOs announced in June that they will take the European Commission to the European Union’s top court over the 10-year re-authorisation of the weedkiller chemical glyphosate. The move comes after the EU’s executive rejected a request by Pesticide Action Network (PAN) Europe and five other NGOs for an “internal review” of the decision to re-authorise the controversial herbicide. In November 2023, EU member states failed to reach a majority decision on whether to extend the authorisation of glyphosate beyond its expiry date in December. Under EU law, the Commission can decide on the authorisation renewal in such cases, and it opted to allow the substance to be sold on the EU market for another ten years. A PAN Europe press release said, “Findings from independent science were systematically discarded or given much less weight than sometimes decade old industry studies.”

Monsanto Roundup trial win overturned by Oregon court

An Oregon appeals court has overturned a trial victory by Monsanto owner Bayer in a decision that adds to an ongoing debate over the company’s efforts to create a nationwide legal and legislative shield from lawsuits alleging Roundup weedkiller causes cancer. The court found that the trial judge in the case improperly barred key evidence about the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from being presented to the jury, which could have led the jury to find in favour of the plaintiff. And notably, the court rejected arguments by the company that claims about the dangers of its products should be barred because those products carry the EPA’s stamp of approval.

Bayer wins surprise appellate victory in fight to limit legal liability

The 3rd US Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia rejected plaintiff David Schaffner’s claim that Bayer’s Monsanto unit violated state law by failing to put a cancer warning on the label for Roundup, concluding that federal law shields the German company from a lawsuit by the Pennsylvania landscaper. The Court said the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act requires nationwide uniformity in pesticide labels, and prevented Pennsylvania from adding a cancer warning because the EPA does not require one. The 3rd Circuit’s finding is an outlier that directly conflicts with rulings from federal appeals courts in San Francisco and Atlanta in similar cases, where judges found that states can require additional warning requirements beyond federal regulations. But lawyers think Bayer’s surprise 3rd Circuit win may now provide some judges, who are inclined to look for ways to protect corporations like Bayer/Monsanto, with a legal leg to stand on. Bayer also hopes the 3rd Circuit’s conflicting opinion may encourage the US Supreme Court to become involved to settle the dispute, as if they came down in Monsanto’s favour that could potentially reduce Bayer’s enormous liabilities.

Philadelphia jury awards $78 million to man who said Roundup weedkiller gave him cancer

A Philadelphia jury has delivered a $78 million verdict against Monsanto, finding that the company’s Roundup weedkiller was a reason a man developed blood cancer. William Melissen, 51, used Roundup frequently for nearly three decades starting in 1992. He was diagnosed in 2020 with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, which he argued in legal filings was the result of his exposure to chemicals in the product. He and his wife Margaret sued Monsanto and its parent company Bayer in 2021 in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas. The lawsuit is one of thousands of cases nationally, and dozens in Philadelphia, in which people who developed cancer accuse Monsanto of negligence and of failing to include adequate warnings about its weedkiller. Philadelphia juries have returned verdicts for and against Monsanto in previous trials. For all the latest updates on Monsanto Roundup lawsuits see this news page of the Lawsuit Information Center.

CONTAMINATION

Glyphosate in manure-based fertiliser ruins tomato crops – study

Glyphosate is turning up in manure-based fertiliser used by gardeners and organic and conventional growers and the residues can ruin yields of tomatoes and other sensitive crops, research from Finland shows. For the research, the scientists compared results from two manure-based fertilisers marketed for professional horticultural use. The first was the original fertiliser tested by the tomato grower and shown to contain glyphosate residue at a level of 0.94 mg/kg. The control fertiliser underwent similar testing and was found to have 0.23 mg/kg glyphosate. As manure-based fertilisers, both products were marketed as suitable for certified organic crop production, but this does not mean the manure is from certified organic livestock. To test the fertilisers, the scientists grew tomato plants for 14 weeks in a greenhouse. The scientists found that the total harvest of tomatoes grown with the fertiliser with the higher level of glyphosate residue was 35% smaller, and the yield of first-class tomatoes 37% lower, than that of the control fertiliser with the lower glyphosate level.

Glyphosate contamination of poultry manure caused soggy sauerkraut

A new research paper reveals that glyphosate residues in poultry manure caused the loss of $1,000,000 worth of organic sauerkraut in 2022 by making the sauerkraut soggy and therefore undesirable. The glyphosate likely came from pre-harvest “desiccation” (dry-down) of feed grains by the spraying of glyphosate-based herbicides – and the spraying of these same herbicides on GM glyphosate-tolerant corn and soy, which is used in poultry feed. The problem was caused by glyphosate’s tendency to tie up vital minerals in the soil, making them unavailable to growing plants, including the cabbage used for the organic sauerkraut.

Glyphosate levels decline in oats

After years of being detected at alarming levels, the pesticide glyphosate is being found at lower levels, on average, in cereal and other oat-based products that children and adults enjoy, according to tests by the American nonprofit Environmental Working Group (EWG). EWG believes its calls for an end to the pre-harvest use of glyphosate on oats may have helped drive change. However, EWG reports that this toxic chemical is still showing up in popular brands of cereals and other oat-based products. Thirty percent of items tested showed high amounts of the pesticide. It’s possible that the decline in glyphosate levels that EWG is seeing is the result of pressure on farmers by grain traders to grow their crops without glyphosate and certain other pesticides of concern. A farmer based in Canada circulated a document that the Canada-based leading agricultural processing and distribution company Adroit is asking its supplier farmers to sign. In signing, the farmer promises not to use certain agrochemicals that, while approved for use in Canada, “may result in residues that are not acceptable in certain export markets”. The banned chemicals include glyphosate when applied to oats. Most US imports of oats come from Canada. So it could be that the drop in glyphosate levels seen in oats bought in the US are being driven by enforced farmer abstinence in Canada.

Glyphosate-based herbicides are now banned for non-professional use in Bulgaria

Glyphosate-based herbicides are now banned for non-professional use in Bulgaria. The use of these chemicals is banned in areas used by the public or by vulnerable groups: public parks and gardens, sports and recreation grounds, school and children’s playgrounds, and near health and educational facilities. Only distributors, consultants and professional users holding a certificate issued by Bulgarian Food Safety Agency (BFSA) can purchase and use these chemicals. Dr Svetla Nikolova, initiator of the campaign to ban the herbicides, said, “Following the European Commission’s decision to extend the use of glyphosate in the EU for another 10 years, the Bulgarian ministry’s action is a good step to reduce the use of this dangerous weedkiller, which is catastrophically damaging human health, biodiversity, soil and water.”

NEW RESEARCH

New Roundup weedkiller 45 times more toxic to human health

On the fiftieth anniversary of the controversial weedkiller’s release, a Friends of the Earth analysis – New Roundup, New Risks – finds that residential Roundup products are more toxic to consumers and the environment than ever before. Not only has manufacturer Bayer failed to remove glyphosate from all Roundup products in the US, contrary to its promise, but new US formulations of Roundup are 45 times more toxic to human health, on average, following long-term exposure. They also pose greater risks to the environment. Roundup products sold to consumers now contain combinations of four new active ingredients as replacements for glyphosate: diquat dibromide, fluazifop-P-butyl, triclopyr, and imazapic. All four chemicals pose greater risk of long-term and/or reproductive health problems than glyphosate based on the EPA’s evaluation of safety studies. They have been linked to a variety of harms to human health, including birth and developmental abnormalities; reproductive dysfunction; kidney or liver damage; and irritation, inflammation, or allergic reactions affecting the skin, eyes, and respiratory system.

Pesticides are potentially as bad as smoking for increased risk in certain cancers

Researchers have found that living in an environment heavily exposed to pesticides could increase the incidence of cancer as much as smoking. The strongest associations were with non-Hodgkin lymphoma, leukemia, and bladder cancer. In these types of cancers, the effects of pesticide exposure were more pronounced than the effects of smoking.

Glyphosate-based herbicides cause intestinal damage and serious diseases

A systematic review on the effects of glyphosate exposure on intestinal microbiota, metabolism, and microstructure finds that glyphosate and its formulations are able to induce intestinal dysbiosis by altering bacterial metabolism, intestinal permeability, and mucus secretion, as well as causing damage to the microvilli and the intestinal lumen. Additionally, immunological, enzymatic and genetic changes were also observed in the animal models. At the metabolic level, damage was observed in lipid and energy metabolism, the circulatory system, cofactor and vitamin metabolism, and replication, repair, and translation processes. The authors conclude that the types of alterations caused by glyphosate-based herbicides can lead to intestinal and systemic diseases, such as Crohn’s and Alzheimer’s.

Frogs exposed to realistic levels of glyphosate-based herbicide suffer malformations

A new study shows frogs (physalaemus gracilis) exposed to glyphosate-based herbicide in early developmental stages suffer malformations of the mouth and intestine, cardiotoxicity, oxidative stress, and impairments in anti-predatory behaviour. The authors comment, “Our findings demonstrate the dangers of unsustainable agriculture, based on chemicals that are highly dangerous and toxic to the environment. The current food production model needs to be rethought, only then we will be meeting the SDGs and preserving life on the earth.” They also write, “(T)he concentrations assessed in this study are within the limits permitted for drinking water worldwide and have already been detected in bodies of water. This raises concerns about the need to review the regulations governing pesticide use and release.”

Glyphosate formulations cause mortality and diverse sublethal defects during embryonic development of frogs

In experiments on African clawed frogs with pure glyphosate and glyphosate-based herbicide formulations, researchers based in Germany found that at sublethal concentrations, the formulations altered embryos’ external appearance, leading to malformations such as reduced eye and head size. In addition, exposure to formulations impaired heart morphology and function, and the expression of heart-specific genes was altered at a molecular level. The results confirmed that glyphosate formulations had a stronger effect on embryo development than pure glyphosate. The researchers concluded that regulatory herbicide approvals should consider studies on both pure glyphosate and glyphosate formulations.

Glyphosate increases blood pressure and alters gut microbiome

In a study conducted at the University of Toledo, rats exposed to glyphosate showed an increase in blood pressure and alterations in the gut microbiome. The researchers concluded, “Our study supports the reasoning that the unabated use of glyphosate could be a contributor to the rising incidence of hypertension in the western society.” In an article about the study, the lead researcher wrote, “This alteration in gut microbiota can lead to changes in metabolites, which are released by bacteria into our bodies... These altered metabolites could play an important role in the increased blood pressure observed in our rat model.”

THE AMERICAS

Drone pesticide spraying in Argentina

In Argentina, the Milei government continues to expand poisoning with pesticides and has just approved the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) for the application of pesticides such as the probable carcinogen glyphosate, reports the investigative journalist Patricio Eleisegui. The government’s intention is to intensify industrial agriculture based on the GM + pesticides + no-till package with greater involvement of companies such as Bayer-Monsanto, Corteva (Dow, DuPont, Pioneer), ChemChina (Syngenta), BASF and India’s UPL.

Film challenges GMO-based agribusiness model in Argentina

The Argentinian movie EL AGRONOMO tells the painful story of an agronomist who moves with his family to one of the many rural areas of Argentina plagued by pesticide spraying (often on GMO crops). Director Martín Turnes says, “For years I’ve been attentive to the questioning of the predominant agribusiness model, the indiscriminate use of pesticides and the consequences that this entails in our society, in our bodies. I felt the need to transform all the questions it generated into a film.” See our GMWatch X thread on the attacks on this film from defenders of big agribusiness.

They all got mysterious brain diseases. They’re fighting to learn why (spoiler: glyphosate is fingered as a possible culprit)

The New York Times reports that doctors in New Brunswick, Canada, have identified dozens of patients with similar unexplained neurological symptoms – a scientific puzzle that has now become a political maelstrom. Initially, official support for a study to find out a potential environmental cause for the illnesses was strong but then it suddenly vanished. Neurologist Dr Alier Marrero believes that New Brunswick is now the centre of one of the most prolific young-onset dementia clusters in the world. Ninety percent of his patients have been found to have high amounts of glyphosate in their blood. Glyphosate is heavily sprayed in New Brunswick’s commercial forestry. For more on New Brunswick’s dementia cluster in young people, see this useful summary.

Glyphosate experts silenced

In connection with the story above, GMWatch’s regular readers may recall that Dr Eilish Cleary, former chief medical officer of health for New Brunswick, was “put on leave” by her employer, the provincial government, while studying glyphosate. Sadly, Dr Cleary died at the age of 60 of cancer, after receiving a sizeable financial payment that has been described as “hush hush money”. And Dr Cleary is far from the only expert to have been muzzled on glyphosate in New Brunswick.

Canada: Nova Scotia and New Brunswick politicians call for federal inquiry into mysterious brain disease

Politicians on both sides of the border between New Brunswick and Nova Scotia are calling for a federal inquiry into a mysterious surge of the brain illness (see above two stories) that has gained international attention. Nova Scotia Independent MLA [Member of the Legislative Assembly] Elizabeth Smith-McCrossin and New Brunswick Green Party MLA Megan Mitton want the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) to step in and lead the investigation into what they’re calling atypical neurodegenerative illness, a disease that was previously thought to be only in New Brunswick. At first, it appeared as if New Brunswick was going to share information with PHAC and cooperate on an investigation into the mystery illness, Mitton said. “It sounds like they started to do that, and then something happened, and they stopped,” she said. The federal government had earmarked $5 million to help with the study, she said.

Banning glyphosate “essential” to protect health and ecosystems – professors

Three professors, whose research involves helping Mexican farmers to use agroecological methods to transition away from the use of glyphosate, write that, “Banning glyphosate is an essential step in protecting the health of humans and our ecosystems.” They add that if Mexico goes ahead with its planned ban on the chemical (currently paused), this will help show how agroecology can lead the way forward.

Research links pesticide exposure to aggressive cancer in women farmers in Brazil

A study links exposure to pesticides to an increased incidence of cancer and risk of metastasis in female farmers in Paraná, Brazil. Carolina Panis, coordinator of the study, said: “Women farmers are disproportionately exposed to pesticides, and therefore may have a greater risk of developing chronic diseases such as cancer... Urine samples from these women showed contamination by glyphosate, atrazine and/or 2,4-D, after unprotected contact with pesticides. We also observed that there is a 58 per cent higher risk of developing breast cancer among women farmers compared to women in urban areas. We also documented a twofold higher risk of developing metastases in women occupationally exposed to pesticides compared to women in urban areas. Our results indicate that women continuously exposed to pesticides have an increased risk of developing breast cancer with a more aggressive profile, highlighting the need for public policies aimed at the prevention and surveillance of these populations.” Paraná is a major producer of GM soy; GM soy has been genetically engineered to tolerate glyphosate and 2,4-D.

PCBs

Buried: The Last Witness – exposé on toxic chemicals (BBC podcast series)

In 1967, Douglas Gowan discovered a deformed calf at a farm in South Wales. The campaigner spent the next five decades trying to blow the whistle on the secret toxic waste dumping he discovered had been taking place for years at a nearby landfill site, and the devastating impact of these “forever chemicals” on the food chain. Gowan died in 2018, but his extensive files form the basis of the BBC’s disturbing 10-part podcast series, “Buried: The Last Witness”. After receiving the tip-off, investigative reporters Dan Ashby and Lucy Taylor teamed up with Welsh actor Michael Sheen to delve into Monsanto’s illegal disposal of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) – fire-resistant chemicals used in everything from paint to paper before eventually being banned in the late 1970s. Before he died, Gowan had given a taped interview to Sheen. The actor had come across an article mentioning Gowan’s work online and was so shocked by the scandal (and lack of coverage) that he travelled to meet him to listen to his story.

England: Judge rules council must disclose water test results

A judge has ordered Telford and Wrekin Council to provide further details about a closed landfill site that may have released chemicals into a waterway near the protected Ironbridge World Heritage Site. Stoneyhill, near Telford, was used by the former international chemical company Monsanto between 1985 and 1991. A tribunal concluded that the authority must release information about the site, after it refused to give it to a local campaigner. Tests done on another of the firm’s former sites found levels of now-banned chemicals more than 12,000 times higher than the recommended UK levels. The tribunal case was brought by Paul Cawthorne, a vicar turned citizen scientist, against the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). In July 2023, Mr Cawthorne had asked the council to release the results of tests carried out at the site but the authority refused to respond.

Bayer shares drop after PCB case gets US court review

Bayer shares fell after Washington state’s top court said it will review a case alleging that toxic chemicals from the German company’s Monsanto unit caused brain injuries to three teachers. The case was the first of more than half a dozen verdicts with combined damages of more than $1.5 billion to reach the appeals court over alleged PCB exposure at the Sky Valley Education Center.

East St Louis says Monsanto polluted its land. It could collect billions in fines

East St Louis is alleging the old Monsanto plant in Sauget polluted its town, and it’s seeking what could potentially be billions of dollars in fines. The city is suing Monsanto Company, Solutia, Inc. and Pharmacia LLC in federal court, accusing them of polluting its land with PCBs. Solutia and Pharmacia are successors on the chemical and pharmaceutical side to the original Monsanto organisation, which went on to be bought by Bayer.

Los Angeles settles with Monsanto for $35 million over PCBs in waterways

Contamination of key Los Angeles waterways such as the Santa Monica Bay, Los Angeles Harbor and Echo Park Lake due to the spread of toxic chemicals is at the heart of a $35-million settlement between the L.A. City Council and Monsanto and two smaller companies. The City Council announced the payout by the companies to settle a lawsuit filed in 2022 over damage from long-banned chemicals called PCBs, which have been linked to health problems including cancer.

Judge rules Vermont’s lawsuit against Monsanto can move forward (video)

A judge has ruled that Vermont’s lawsuit against Monsanto over toxic PCBs can move forward. The company wanted the judge to throw out the lawsuit. But Vermont’s Attorney General says, “We’re headed to trial. We’re building our case and we’re going to hold them accountable.” Dozens of Vermont schools have action-level PCB issues. PCB contamination at North Country Union High School means students may have to stay out of school.

OTHER PESTICIDES

Non-GMO farmer forced to grow GMO dicamba soybeans to avoid crop damage

Arkansas farmer Adam Chappell can’t grow non-GMO soybeans any more. That’s because other farmers in his area are growing GMO soybeans that are tolerant to dicamba herbicide. The controversial weedkiller is prone to drift – turning from a liquid to a gas when sprayed, drifting across other farm fields, and killing other crops including Chappell’s non-GMO soybeans. “I can’t grow non-GMO soybeans anymore, and it’s a shame because it’s knocked me completely out of my non-GMO markets,” he says. Instead, Chappell has been forced to grow GMO dicamba tolerant soybeans — just to protect his farm. For the past four or five years, Chappell’s non-GMO soybeans have been increasingly damaged by dicamba drift from neighbouring farms. “All I grow is dicamba tolerant soybeans. I can’t grow anything else,” he says. “Anybody that doesn’t grow dicamba tolerant soybeans has that problem.”

Most common US insecticide may affect brain development similarly to nicotine

Industry research reviewed by independent scientists show that exposure to the nation’s most common insecticides, neonicotinoids, may affect developing brains the same way as nicotine, including by significantly shrinking brain tissue and neuron loss. Exposure could be linked to long-term health effects like ADHD, slower auditory reflexes, reduced motor skills, behavioural problems and delayed sexual maturation in males, the new review found. The industry science will be used by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to set new regulations, but the independent scientists say they found pesticide makers withheld information or did not include required data. They also allege the EPA has drawn industry friendly conclusions from the research.

A haze of pesticides over the land

There is a haze of pesticides all over rural areas. They spread into people’s gardens, houses, playgrounds and even nature reserves. This alarming finding is shown by a one-year monitoring study by the Dutch citizens’ network Meten = Weten in cooperation with PAN Netherlands. Among the many chemicals detected was the Parkinson’s-linked pesticide Folpet. The findings add to evidence from other countries. Research in South Tyrol found that the airborne spread of pesticides is seriously underestimated. They do not remain in the apple orchards in the Alpine valleys but spread to houses and playgrounds – and significant amounts even go up the mountain to nature reserves that should be protected. The EU SPRINT research project already showed that pesticides accumulate in house dust, with the highest levels in the houses of conventional farmers.

Herbicide-tolerant basmati rice launched in India

Lovers of basmati rice – known as the Queen of Rice for its unrivalled taste and texture – will be dismayed to learn that the Pusa Institute of New Delhi, India is selling seed of random mutagenesis-bred herbicide-tolerant versions of basmati called RobiNOweed. The rice, developed by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), is tolerant to the herbicide imazethapyr. It is being touted as non-GMO, labour-saving, water-saving and environmentally friendly. However, the direct seeding method it’s designed to be grown with favours the emergence of weeds, so the rice has to be sprayed with liberal applications of imazethapyr. This chemical damages the DNA of tree frog tadpoles and acts synergistically with glyphosate-based herbicides to damage the DNA of toads. Imazethapyr was banned in the EU in 2002. The European Chemicals Agency says, “This substance is very toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects... and causes serious eye damage”.

Washing produce doesn’t remove pesticides, study finds

A new scientific report lends weight to consumer concerns about pesticide residues on food, presenting fresh evidence that washing fruit before eating does not remove various toxic chemicals commonly used in agriculture.

UK: Far higher pesticide residues allowed on food since Brexit

The amount of pesticide residue allowed on scores of food types in England, Wales and Scotland has soared since Brexit, analysis reveals, with some now thousands of times higher. Changes to regulations in Great Britain mean more than 100 items are now allowed to carry more pesticides when sold to the public, ranging from potatoes to onions, grapes to avocados, and coffee to rice. For tea, the maximum residue level (MRL) was increased by 4,000 times for both the insecticide chlorantraniliprole and the fungicide boscalid. For the weedkiller glyphosate, classed as a “probable human carcinogen” by the World Health Organization (WHO), the MRL for beans was raised by 750%. The new, weaker MRLs adopted by Great Britain come from the Codex Alimentarius, a set of international food standards produced by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization and the WHO. The Codex has been criticised by campaigners for “a history of setting weaker safety standards than European counterparts due to the influence of US and corporate lobbying”. Strikingly, the UK chose to adopt the Codex MRLs only where they offered lower protection to consumers. Where the Codex standard was stricter, the HSE decided to retain the weaker British MRL.

Field study finds using biodiversity instead of pesticides can reduce crop damage from herbivores

Pesticides are often not necessary. Researchers at the University of Zurich have conducted a comprehensive field study showing that damage from herbivores can be reduced by using biodiversity within a plant species. Different plant genotypes can cooperate to help fend off herbivorous insects. The study is published in the journal Nature Communications. Just like humans, plants interact with the individuals around them. For example, if the people around you are more susceptible to infections, your own risk of getting infected increases, and vice versa. The same is true for plants. When different genetic types of the same plant species are mixed and planted together, some combinations are more resistant to pests and diseases. This positive biodiversity effect is known as associative resistance.

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