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| Crop spraying. CC photo by CropShot on Flickr |
The report submitted to the European Food
Safety Authority (EFSA) recommending re-approval and upping the ADI was
prepared by Germany, the rapporteur Member State for this herbicide.
Germany's overall findings were that the
herbicide poses no unacceptable risks.
Specifically, glyphosate is not metabolised (chemically changed by the
body) nor accumulated in the body. It's
not toxic to genes, nor carcinogenic, nor endocrine disrupting, and has no
reproductive toxicity. The only human
health risks noted were that glyphosate is a severe eye irritant.
Issues that could not be finalised included
the relevance of impurities and microbial effects.
The Institute of Science in Society
described these conclusions as 'preposterous'.
Glyphosate is not metabolised, but it binds
very powerfully to essential minerals. This could interfere with just about every
metabolic process in any animal, especially through disruption of enzyme
activity.
A very real possibility that glyphosate
binding to minerals can result in the accumulation of heavy metal toxins in the
kidneys (followed by sudden death due to kidney failure) has been suggested
recently [1]
Information from Argentina, which grows
vast monocultures of glypohosate-sprayed GM crops, is that people living in the
vicinity of these crops (and their sprays) are subject to a doubling of deaths
from cancer (Note. The increased
incidence of cancers which don't lead to death in the short-term might be
considerably more than double, and the long-term cancer incidence and deaths
could be catastrophic). An
Argentinean Ministry of Health report details 15 scientific publications on
genetic damage in people exposed to pesticides.
Genetic damage is linked to cancer and birth defects.
A long-term feeding study on Roundup has
flagged up signs of endocrine disruption (which could be linked to reproductive
problems), but the scientific world seems to be doing all it can to avoid
performing any follow up which might confirm it [2].
Interestingly, a Monsanto-commissioned
acute exposure test of Roundup back in the 1980s which formed the basis of
China's approval of the herbicide, no effect on the eyes of the test
rabbits was reported. Because Roundup
consists of a mixture of potentially harmful chemicals designed to facilitate
the penetration of glyphosate into plant cells (so as to can kill them) the commercial glyphosate formulation
would be expected to be more irritating to delicate tissues than the
herbicide in isolation.
The 'unresolved issues' are both of serious
concern.
Since glyphosate harms many
micro-organisms, and could therefore have significant adverse effects on
digestion and general health, the fact that this safety issue has not been
resolved before re-approval and increased allowable exposure levels in our
food is even more preposterous.
Lastly, after tragedies like the
thalidomide disaster in the 1960s, and the tryptophan disaster of 1989 safety
issues surrounding the possibility of 'impurities' are of paramount importance
to resolve before we eat man-made chemicals.
OUR COMMENT
How did Germany come to conclude that
glyphosate is low risk?
Seemingly, it just kept moving the
risk-assessment goal-posts until it got the result it, and the biotech
industry, wanted. See RISK AVOIDANCE
MADE EASY - coming soon.
[1]
GLYPHOSATE AND KIDNEY DISEASE - April 2014
[2]
FOLLOW UP OR COVER UP? - August 2014
Glyphosate
Glyphosate is the active ingredient of
'Roundup' formula herbicide. Roundup is
heavily sprayed on GM Roundup-tolerant crops in which it accumulates.
The herbicide is also used to clear the
soil of weeds before planting and as an aid to die-back preparatory to
harvesting on some crops.
Urban uses include keeping roads, paths
and playgrounds free of weeds.
SOURCES
- Dr. Nancy Swanson and Dr. Mae Wan Ho, Scandal of Glyphosate Re-assessment in Europe, Institute of Science in Society Report 9.07.14
- Dario Aranda, Danger in the fields, Pagina12, 23.06.14
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