Roundup weedkiller banned from French garden centres over ‘probable’ link to cancer
France has announced a ban on over the counter sales
of a brand of weedkiller from garden centres after the active ingredient was classified as „probably carcinogenic to humans”by the UN.
The UN’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC)classified glyphosate in March as „probably carcinogenic to humans”, and is the active ingredient in Roundup.
The weedkiller is used by amateur gardeners as well as farmers and is the foremost product of American biotechnology giant Mosanto.
French Ecology Minister Segolene Royal told France 3 televisionon Sunday: „France must be on the offensive with regards to the banning of pesticides.”
Glyphosate was introduced in the 1970s under the brandRoundup and is the most-produced weedkiller in the world, according to the IARC.
The agency’s evaluation of glyphosate saw „limited evidence” of a type of cancer called non-Hodgkin lymphoma, as seen in studies in the United States, Sweden and Canada conducted among farm workers since 2001.
Monsanto strongly contested the IARC classification, commenting that „relevant, scientific data was excluded from review.”
Monsanto said in a statement: „As consumers ourselves, safety is a priority for every person who works at Monsanto.
„We want to be clear: All labeled uses of glyphosate are safe for human health and supported by one of the most extensive worldwide human health databases ever compiled on an agricultural product.
„In fact, every glyphosate-based herbicide on the market meets the rigorous standards set by regulatory and health authorities to protect human health.”
