The samples were taken from a group of Americans representative of the US population. 1,885 of the 2,310 urine samples – from both adults and children – contain detectable traces of glyphosate. That is the active ingredient of herbicides sold all over the world, including the widely used but controversial roundUp.
That’s not a complete surprise. Researchers have been finding high concentrations of glyphosate in urine samples for years. Since the 1990s, the amount and number of cases has steadily increased. During that time, the Monsanto company introduced genetically engineered crops designed to be sprayed directly with RoundUp, a 2017 study from the University of California found.
carcinogenic
Growing concerns about the impact of pesticides in water and food on health and the environment, the CDC recently launched a study into the effects of exposure to glyphosate.
Although controversial, glyphosate is the most widely used pesticide in agriculture. Monsanto and Bayer, which acquired the company in 2018, have consistently maintained that glyphosate and RoundUp products are safe, and that trace amounts in food and human urine pose no health risk.
Until recently, the company was supported by the US government: both the US Department of Justice and the federal regulator Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which is responsible for protecting the environment and public health, previously stated that the substance is not carcinogenic.
Many researchers disagree. One study found that exposure to glyphosate increases the risk of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a type of lymphoma. The World Health Organization (WHO) also ruled that glyphosate is likely to be carcinogenic.
The American judiciary is also looking into the matter. In previous lawsuits, Bayer has been ordered to pay large damages to cancer patients, and several legal proceedings are still pending.
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