Sources:
Third World Resurgence, No. 176, April 2005
Title: “New Evidence of Dangers of Roundup Weedkiller”
Author: Chee Yoke Heong
Faculty Evaluator: Jennifer While
Student Researchers: Peter McArthur and Lani Ready
New
studies from both sides of the Atlantic reveal that Roundup, the
most widely used weedkiller in the world, poses serious human health threats. More than 75
percent of genetically modified (GM) crops are engineered to tolerate the
absorption of Roundup—it eliminates all plants that are not GM. Monsanto
Inc., the major engineer of GM crops, is also the producer of Roundup. Thus,
while Roundup was formulated as a weapon against weeds, it has become a
prevalent ingredient in most of our food crops.
Three
recent studies show that Roundup, which is used by farmers and home gardeners,
is not the safe product we have been led to trust.
A
group of scientists led by biochemist Professor Gilles-Eric Seralini
from the University of Caen in France found that human placental
cells are very sensitive to Roundup at concentrations lower than
those currently used in agricultural application.
An
epidemiological study of Ontario farming populations showed that exposure to glyphosate,
the key
ingredient in Roundup, nearly doubled the risk of late miscarriages. Seralini
and his team decided to research the effects of the herbicide on human placenta
cells. Their study confirmed the toxicity of glyphosate, as after eighteen hours
of exposure at low concentrations, large proportions of human placenta began to
die. Seralini suggests that this may explain the high levels of
premature births and miscarriages observed among female farmers using
glyphosate.
Seralini’s
team further compared the toxic effects of the Roundup formula (the most common
commercial formulation of glyphosate and chemical additives) to the isolated
active ingredient, glyphosate. They found that the toxic effect increases in
the presence of Roundup ‘adjuvants’ or additives. These additives thus have a
facilitating role, rendering Roundup twice as toxic as its isolated active
ingredient, glyphosate.
Another
study, released in April 2005 by the University of Pittsburgh, suggests
that Roundup is a danger to other life-forms and non-target organisms.
Biologist Rick Relyea found that Roundup is extremely lethal to amphibians. In
what is considered one of the most extensive studies on the effects of
pesticides on nontarget organisms in a natural setting, Relyea found that Roundup caused
a 70 percent decline in amphibian biodiversity and an 86 percent decline in the
total mass of tadpoles. Leopard frog tadpoles and gray tree frog
tadpoles were nearly eliminated.
In
2002, a scientific team led by Robert Belle of the National Center
for Scientific Research (CNRS) biological station in Roscoff, France showed
that Roundup
activates one of the key stages of cellular division that can potentially lead
to cancer. Belle and his team have been studying the impact of glyphosate
formulations on sea urchin cells for several years. The team has recently
demonstrated in Toxicological Science (December 2004) that a “control point”
for DNA damage was affected by Roundup, while glyphosate alone had no effect.
“We have shown that it’s a definite risk factor, but we have not evaluated the
number of cancers potentially induced, nor the time frame within which they
would declare themselves,” Belle acknowledges.
There
is, indeed, direct evidence that glyphosate inhibits an important process
called RNA transcription in animals, at a concentration well below the level
that is recommended for commercial spray application.
There
is also new research that shows that brief exposure to commercial glyphosate
causes liver damage in rats, as indicated by the leakage of intracellular liver
enzymes. The research indicates that glyphosate and its surfactant in Roundup
were found to act in synergy to increase damage to the liver.
UPDATE BY CHEE YOKE HEONG
Roundup Ready weedkiller is one of the most widely used weedkillers in the
world for crops and backyard gardens. Roundup, with its active ingredient
glyphosate, has long been promoted as safe for humans and the environment while
effective in killing weeds. It is therefore significant when recent studies
show that Roundup is not as safe as its promoters claim.
This
has major consequences as the bulk of commercially planted genetically modified crops are
designed to tolerate glyphosate (and especially Roundup), and
independent field data already shows a trend of increasing use of the
herbicide. This goes against industry claims that herbicide use will drop and
that these plants will thus be more “environment-friendly.” Now it has been
found that there are serious health effects, too. My story therefore aimed to
highlight these new findings and their implications to health and the
environment.
Not
surprisingly, Monsanto came out refuting some of the findings of the studies
mentioned in the article. What ensued was an open exchange between Dr. Rick Relyea
and Monsanto, whereby the former stood his grounds. Otherwise, to my knowledge,
no studies have since emerged on Roundup.
For
more information look to the following sources:
Professor Gilles-Eric, criigen@ibfa.unicaen.fr
Biosafety Information Center, http://www.biosafety-info.net
Institute of Science in Society, http://www.i-sis.org.uk