On this page, you will find assorted key information about the herbicide Roundup, and its primary ingredient, glyphosate.

* STEP NEWSLETTER ARTICLE: What's the Matter with Roundup?

* ADDED RESOURCES: Links to key information about Roundup and alternatives

Article from The Next STEP newsletter
Volume 1, Number 3 (May/June 2001)
(c) Patricia Dines, 2001. All rights reserved.

What's the Matter with Roundup?

As the toxicity of herbicides like 2,4D became increasingly clear, some turned to products with the active ingredient glyphosate, like Roundup and Rodeo.

Glyphosate is a broad spectrum post-emergent, systemic, and non-selective herbicide used to kill broad-leaved, grass, and sedge species. It's the nation's second most commonly-used home and garden pesticide, and the third most commonly-used on industrial and commercial land. Each year 38 to 48 million pounds are used in the U.S., with about 25 million applications in U.S. households. [Footnote 1]

Unfortunately, while better than 2,4D, Roundup is not as safe as some believe (or even claim!). Here are some important facts:

* Harm to Humans and Animals. Glyphosate products are acutely toxic to humans and animals, with symptoms like eye and skin irritation (lasting up to 7 days), cardiac depression, gastrointestinal pain, vomiting, and accumulation of excess fluid in the lungs.

Glyphosate is the highest cause of pesticide illness for California landscape maintenance workers, and the third most commonly-reported cause of pesticide illness among agricultural workers.

One ingredient in Roundup (POEA) is actually more toxic than glyphosate, with the combination even more toxic. (The testing that allowed Roundup on the market was just for glyphosate, not the full formula, a serious flaw in the pesticide regulation system.)

Even ordinary use of Roundup can cause problems. One user wiped their face with a hand that had contacted leaky Roundup spray equipment -- and got a swollen face! Another spilled Roundup and got recurrent eczema of the hands and feet for two months.

And then there's the county highway worker who sprayed thistles which then cut through his overalls. He was hospitalized with severe internal chemical burns and blood infection. The next day, his leg was so swollen that his ankle was the size of his knee and he had a 105° fever. The doctor wanted to amputate his leg because of the threat of gangrene. Luckily, he recovered with his leg intact, but the veins in his leg were permanently clogged and burned. [2]

Glyphosate can cause other long-term damage. Population studies show increased miscarriages and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Animal studies show genetic damage, reduced sperm counts, cataracts, and thyroid, pancreas, and liver tumors.

* Harm to Ecosystems. Studies have shown that Roundup kills beneficial insects and is hazardous to earthworms, which are vital for soil health and vitality. [3]

* Long-lasting. The manufacturer's own tests show that it takes up to 140 days for half the glyphosate to break down or disappear. Residues were found in lettuce, carrots, and barley planted a year after treatment.

* Able to Drift. Tests conducted by the University of California, Davis, found that glyphosate drifted up to 1,300 feet during ground applications. This increases unintended exposure and harm to humans, animals -- and plants you want to keep!

So, what's the alternative? See the article [below] for easy options. Or maybe just see through a child's eyes, where those dandelions are not a problem but a delight!

~ Patricia Dines

Footnotes

1 "Herbicide Fact Sheet: Glyphosate, (Roundup)," Caroline Cox, Journal of Pesticide Reform, Volume 18, Number 3, Fall 1998. Northwest Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides, Eugene, OR. Information from their article has been used throughout this article.

2 "What's the Matter with Roundup?", NYCAP News, Early Summer 1994, p. 20.

3 "Ten Reasons To Not Use Roundup," Caroline Cox, Northwest Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides- (NCAP) For copies of their longer article on Roundup, with complete references for all of the information presented, send $2 to: NCAP, P.O. Box 1391; Eugene, OR 97440; or call (541) 344-5044. [Original article text. This has not been confirmed recently. However, this information is online now! See current NCAP information below.]

* I did a news update to this article at https://www.healthyworld.org/Roundup2.html.

* For more of our STEP summary information about Roundup and alternatives ... see the STEP newsletter Index under Glyphosate/Roundup, Weeds, and Lawns. Also see BodyBurden for our articles about pesticides being found in our bodies, how they get there, their health impacts, and how to reduce them. You might also like to check out Sonoma County Activities and Schools, to learn more about the work being done to help us avoid toxics in public spaces, such as schools, parks, and more.

* An excellent detailed summary of the scientific evidence of Roundup/glyphosate's harm. This article walks through the evidence of harm in an accessible way, with footnotes and citations. It also shows you the terms for the different categories of harm. Note that this is an older article and there have been added studies since then, which further strengthen the case against Roundup. However this is still the best overall summary of the science that I've seen.
https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/ncap/pages/26/attachments/original/1519084542/GlyphosateFactsheet.pdf?1519084542

* The author of this article, Caroline Cox, now writes for CEH. This is an example of her articles with them:
https://www.ceh.org/news-events/press-releases/content/study-finds-90-families-toxic-weed-killer-bodies-significantly-higher-levels-found-children

* Study: Roundup Weed Killer Could Be Linked To Widespread Bee Deaths
https://www.npr.org/2018/09/25/651618685/study-roundup-weed-killer-could-be-linked-to-widespread-bee-deaths

* More Roundup trials and appeals in store for Bayer/Monsanto after $2 billion verdict. A California jury awarded more than $2 billion in damages to a couple who alleged that the company’s glyphosate-based weed killer Roundup caused their cancers.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-bayer-glyphosate-lawsuit-trials-factb/factbox-more-roundup-trials-appeals-in-store-for-bayer-after-2-billion-verdict-idUSKCN1SK24E

* Roundup trial tracking website
https://usrtk.org/monsanto-roundup-trial-tracker-index/

* For more about alternative treatments for weeds, plus handy information on other common pesticides, NCAP factsheets can be downloaded at www.pesticide.org/pesticide_factsheets. Other valuable information can be ordered at BIRC's website www.birc.org.

---

Information courtesy of:

"Information Empowering Action for a Healthier World"

---

   

We hope this information (and our work) is valuable to you,
and supports the health and well-being of yourself,
your family, our community, and our world.
If it is, please let us know. It makes us happy to hear!

You can support our work and ensure that it continues. For instance, you can link to our site and let others know about it. Or become a CAP member! For more information, click on the "About CAP" button above.

If you find a broken link or outdated information, or want to suggest an addition or edit to this page, please let us know by emailing info[at]healthyworld.org. Please include both the webpage name and the relevant information.

Thank you to everyone who supports our ability to offer this information
to our community, for our planet!

---

This entire website is (c) Community Action Publications, 1998-2022. All rights reserved.
Page last updated 7/5/2022.
www.healthyworld.org/Roundup.html