Monsanto Favorite Glyphosate Soon to Join California’s Cancer List
(COMMON DREAMS) Nadia Prupis — In an unprecedented move, the California Environmental Protection Agency (Cal/EPA) will soon start labeling the common herbicide ingredient glyphosate a “probable carcinogenic,” stepping up efforts to protect health and wildlife in the agriculture-heavy state even as use of weedkillers that include such toxins hits an all-time high.
Under Proposition 65, California is required to publish a list of chemicals known to cause cancer or birth defects. Glyphosate—favored ingredient of agrochemical producers like Monsanto and Dow—was declared “probably carcinogenic to humans” in March by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), a body of the World Health Organization.
“California’s taking an important step toward protecting people and wildlife from this toxic pesticide,” said Dr. Nathan Donley, staff scientist with the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD). “More than 250 million pounds of glyphosate are used each year in the United States, and the science is clear that it’s a threat to public health and countless wildlife species. It’s long past time to start reining in the out-of-control use of glyphosate in the United States.”