Glyphosate (Roundup)
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INFORMATION FOR ACTION Glyphosate (Roundup) SUMMARY ChemicalWATCH Summary Stats Despite the prevalent myth that this widely-used herbicide is harmless, CAS Registry Number: 1071-83-6 glyphosate (N-phosphono-methyl glycine) is associated with a wide range Trade Name: Roundup, Rodeo of illnesses, including non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL), genetic damage, liver Use: Nonselective herbicide for broadleaf weed and grass control on food and kidney damage, endocrine disrup- and non-food field crop sites. tion, as well as environmental damage, Toxicity rating: Toxic including water contamination and harm to amphibians. Researchers have Signal Words: Caution also determined that the “inert” ingredi- Health Effects: Eye and skin irritation, associated with non-Hodgkin’s ents in glyphosate products, especially Lymphoma, and spontaneous abortions. Other ingredients in formulated polyethoxylated tallow amine or POEA products are linked to developmental abnormalities, decreased sperm count, —a surfactant commonly used in glypho- abnormal sperm, and cell death of embryonic, placental and umbilical sate and other herbicidal products—are cord cells. Functions as an antibiotic. even more toxic than glyphosate itself. Monsanto, manufacturer of glyphosate, Environmental Effects: Weed resistance due to use in genetically engineered crop production, water contamination, soil quality degradation, toxic to soil formulates many products such as microorganisms and aquatic organisms. A source of phosphate pollution in water. Roundup™ and Rodeo™ and markets formulations exclusively used on geneti- cally engineered (GE) crops. Glyphosate is one of the most widely used herbicides in the world, due in large cotton, as well as other crops. Con- It persists in food products for up to part to the increased cultivation of GE trary to industry claims that GE crops two years.4 crops that are tolerant of the herbicide. would result in lower pesticide use rates, glyphosate use in agriculture GLYPHOSATE FORMULATED GENERAL rose 300-fold from 1974 to 2014, PRODUCTS AND OTHER with non-agricultural uses increasing INGREDIENTS First registered for use in 1974, glypho- by 43-fold during the same time.2 sate is used to kill a variety of broadleaf Glyphosate products (Roundup) are weeds and grasses. Labeled uses of Plants treated with glyphosate trans- more toxic than glyphosate alone, glyphosate account for approximately locate the systemic herbicide to their resulting in a number of chronic, devel- 276 million pounds applied in 2014 on roots, growing points, and fruit, where opmental, and endocrine-disrupting over 100 terrestrial food crops, as well it blocks the activity of the enzyme impacts.5,6,7,8,9,10 The “inert” ingredients as other non-food sites, including for- 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate in Roundup formulations kill human estry, greenhouses, rights-of-way, turf, synthase (EPSPS), a key enzyme in the cells at very low concentrations.11 At garden beds, and hardscapes.1 shikimate pathway of aromatic amino least some glyphosate-based products acid production, ultimately leading are genotoxic.12 One “inert,” polyethox- The greatest overall glyphosate use by to the plant’s death by starvation.3 ylated tallow amine (POEA), is extremely acreage is in the Mississippi River basin Because plants absorb glyphosate, toxic to aquatic organisms.13,14 It accounts where most applications are for weed it cannot be completely removed by for more than 86% of Roundup toxicity control on GE corn, soybeans, and washing or other food preparation. observed in microalgae and crustaceans.15 1 BEYOND PESTICIDES • 2017 • www.BeyondPesticides.org ACUTE EXPOSURE TO GLYPHOSATE IS AN ANTIBIOTIC surface water,39 with a half-life of 70 40 GLYPHOSATE to 84 days. U.S. Geological Survey Glyphosate works by disrupting a (USGS) surveys detect glyphosate and Although EPA considers glyphosate to crucial pathway for manufacturing its degradate aminomethylphosphonic be “of relatively low oral and dermal aromatic amino acids in plants—but 41 acid (AMPA) in the majority of samples, 16 acute toxicity,” symptoms following not animals—and, therefore, many persisting from spring through to fall.42 exposure to glyphosate formulations have assumed that it does not harm Glyphosate and/or AMPA have also include: swollen eyes, face and joints; humans. However, many bacteria use been detected in significant levels in facial numbness; burning and/or itch- the shikimate pathway, and glyphosate rain in agricultural areas across the 31 ing skin; blisters; rapid heart rate; has been patented as an antibiotic. Mississippi River watershed, in more elevated blood pressure; chest pains, The destruction of bacteria in the than 50 percent of soil and sediment congestion; coughing; headache; and human gut is a major contributor to samples, in water samples from ditches 17 nausea. In developmental toxicity disease, and the destruction of soil and drains, and in more than 80 per- studies using pregnant rats and rabbits, microbiota leads to unhealthy agricul- cent of wastewater treatment plant sam- effects of glyphosate in high dose tural systems with an increasing depen- ples.43 Glyphosate also contributes to 32 groups include diarrhea, decreased dence on agricultural chemicals. phosphorous pollution of waterbodies. body weight gain, nasal discharge Disturbing the microbiota can contrib- and death.18 ute to a whole host of “21st century dis- Residues of glyphosate may persist for eases,” including diabetes, obesity, food months in anaerobic soils deficient in CHRONIC EXPOSURE allergies, heart disease, antibiotic-resistant microorganisms. Heavy use of Roundup TO GLYPHOSATE infections, cancer, asthma, autism, irri- on GE crops appears to cause harmful table bowel syndrome, multiple sclerosis, changes in soil, potentially hindering Since EPA’s classification of glyphosate rheumatoid arthritis, celiac disease, yields of crops.44 Concerns for soil health as a Group E carcinogen—or “evidence inflammatory bowel disease, and more. from long-term glyphosate use include of non-carcinogenicity for humans,” The rise in these same diseases is tightly reduction of nutrient availability for the International Agency for Research correlated with the use of the herbicide plants and organisms; disruption of on Cancer (IARC) in 2015 classified glyphosate, and glyphosate exposure organism diversity, especially in the glyphosate as a Group 2A “probable” can result in the inflammation that is areas around plant roots; reductions carcinogen, which means that the 33 at the root of these diseases. Glypho- of beneficial soil bacteria; increases chemical is probably carcinogenic to sate appears to have more negative in plant root pathogens; disturbed humans based on sufficient evidence of impacts on beneficial bacteria, earthworm activity; reduced bacterial carcinogenicity in experimental animals.19 34,35 allowing pathogens to flourish. nitrogen fixation; and compromised As of July 7, 2017, glyphosate is listed growth and reproduction in some as a cancer-causing chemical under ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE soil and aquatic organisms.45,46 California’s Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986 (Propo- Bacteria resistant to the most commonly EFFECTS ON NONTARGET sition 65). This requires cancer warning prescribed antibiotics result in longer- ANIMALS labels be placed on end-use glyphosate lasting infections, higher medical ex- products in California.20 It has been penses, the need for more expensive Glyphosate use directly impacts a specifically linked to non-Hodgkin’s or hazardous medications, and the variety of nontarget animals, including Lymphoma (NHL).21,22,23 and multiple inability to treat life-threatening infec- insects, earthworms, and fish, and myeloma. 24 tions. The development and spread indirectly impacts birds and small mam- of antibiotic resistance is the inevitable mals.47 Roundup kills beneficial insects, Glyphosate causes DNA and chromo- effect of the use of antibiotics.36,37 Use including parasitoid wasps, lacewings somal damage in human cells.25 Glypho- of antibiotics like glyphosate in agricul- and ladybugs.48 Repeated applications sate and its formulated products adverse- ture allows residues of antibiotics and of glyphosate significantly affect the ly affect embryonic, placental and antibiotic-resistant bacteria on agricul- growth and survival of earthworms.49 umbilical cord cells, affect fetal devel- tural lands to move through the envi- Environmental factors, such as high opment, and increase the risk for spon- ronment, contaminate waterways, and sedimentation, increases in temperature taneous abortions.26 Detectable concen- ultimately reach consumers in food.38 and pH levels increase the toxicity of trations of glyphosate have been found Both the human gut and contaminated Roundup, especially to young fish.50 in the urine of farm children.27 Chronic, waterways provide incubators for ultra-low dose exposure to glyphosate antibiotic resistance. Roundup, in sublethal and environ- in drinking water results in adverse mentally relevant concentrations, causes morphological changes in two species impacts on the health of liver and ENVIRONMENTAL FATE kidneys.28 Glyphosate is considered of amphibians by interfering with hor- to be an endocrine disruptor.29 It can Glyphosate has the potential to contami- mones.51 It is “extremely lethal” to cause changes to DNA function result- nate surface waters and is not broken amphibians in concentrations found ing in the onset of chronic disease.30 down readily by water or sunlight in in the