An new scientific analysis by Friends of the Earth shows that cancer-linked glyphosate remains and is joined by new, more dangerous chemicals on 50th anniversary of Monsanto’s Roundup
Source: Friends of the Earth | Date Oct 25, 2024
WASHINGTON — On the fiftieth anniversary of the controversial weedkiller’s release, a new analysis by Friends of the Earth – 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 [OTCMKTS: BAYRY] failed to remove glyphosate from all Roundup products, as promised, but new formulations of Roundup are 45 times more toxic to human health, on average, following long-term, chronic exposure. They also pose greater risks to the environment.
Bayer announced it would remove glyphosate from consumer products starting in 2023 in response to tens of thousands of lawsuits linking the weedkiller to non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Friends of the Earth reviewed Roundup weedkillers for sale at the two largest U.S. home and garden retailers – Home Depot [NYSE: HD] and Lowe’s [NYSE: LOW] – to determine whether the company followed through as of October, 2024.
Not only do several Roundup products still contain glyphosate, but eight new Roundup products contain chemicals of dramatically greater concern. With no requirement from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to warn consumers of the new dangers, people are unknowingly being exposed to higher risks.
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. The worst offender is diquat dibromide, found in all of the new Roundup formulations. It is 200 times more chronically toxic than glyphosate, is classified as a highly hazardous pesticide, and is banned in the European Union.
In addition to the threat to human health, the new Roundup weedkillers also endanger animals and the environment. On average, they are more toxic to bees, birds, fish, aquatic organisms, and earthworms. They are also more persistent in the environment and more likely to leach into groundwater, increasing the risk of contaminating waterways and drinking water.
“The human toll of Roundup is enormous – tens of thousands of people have lost their lives and their health because of this toxic weedkiller. With the new formulations of Roundup, Bayer had the opportunity to make us safer, but it did the opposite,” said Kendra Klein, deputy director of science for Friends of the Earth. “Bayer’s willingness to deceive the public and disregard our health as it continues to cash in on the Roundup brand name is outrageous.”
Internal corporate documents unearthed during the Roundup litigation show the profound extent of deceit and disinformation that Monsanto deployed to cover up the dangers of Roundup. Our analysis reveals that Bayer continues to mislead consumers, exposing them to far greater risks with no warning. While the new active ingredients are listed on Roundup product labels, as required by law, there is no language alerting consumers to the higher risks they pose. The average consumer – even if they notice the new ingredients – knows little about the toxicology of glyphosate compared to the new ingredients that are taking its place.
Friends of the Earth analyzed labels to look for active ingredients in Roundup weedkiller sold at the two largest lawn and garden stores in the U.S., Home Depot and Lowe’s, in 2024.
The new Friends of the Earth analysis found that:
- Several Roundup products sold to consumers still contain glyphosate. We identified seven Roundup products containing glyphosate for sale in 2024.
- New Roundup formulations are 45 times more toxic to human health, on average, following long-term, chronic exposures. We identified eight Roundup products in which Bayer has replaced glyphosate with combinations of four different chemicals: 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. Diquat dibromide and imazapic are banned in the EU. Diquat dibromide – present in all the new formulations – is 200 times more toxic than glyphosate in terms of chronic exposure and is classified as a highly hazardous pesticide.
- New Roundup formulations pose significantly more harm to the environment. The chemicals replacing glyphosate in Roundup are significantly more likely to harm bees, birds, fish, earthworms, and aquatic organisms, on average. They are also significantly more persistent in the environment and more likely to leach down into groundwater, increasing the risk of contaminating waterways and drinking water.
The Failure Of The Environmental Protection Agency
The packaging of the new products is nearly identical to glyphosate-based Roundup – consumers are unknowingly exposing themselves and the environment to dramatically higher risks. While pesticide active ingredients must, by law, be stated on product labels, there is no requirement from the EPA that labels alert consumers about new chemicals or warn of increased risks. Drug companies are not allowed to replace the aspirin in a brand-name pain reliever with oxycontin or fentanyl, and for good reason. The fact that the EPA allows this toxic sleight of hand with pesticide products is unconscionable. The EPA also should not allow highly hazardous chemicals like diquat dibromide in consumer products in the first place.
A Case Of Regrettable Substitution
It took decades of advocacy and tens of thousands of lawsuits to convince Bayer that Roundup needed to be reformulated. Bayer’s 2021 pledge to remove glyphosate from residential Roundup initially seemed like a hard-won victory for health, safety, and the environment. But rather than playing out as a victory, our report reveals it as an emblematic case of regrettable substitution – a chemical being banned or discarded in favor of ones that are even worse. Regrettable substitution underscores the need for lawmakers, regulatory agencies, and advocates to move beyond targeting single chemicals in isolation, and instead pursue holistic social and political reform around the production, distribution, and use of pesticides. For human and environmental health, it is urgent that we broadly transition away from toxic pesticides and move towards safer alternatives in lawn care, in agriculture, and beyond.
Originally published: Friends of the Earth.