Weeds are every gardener’s nemesis. And one of the most common herbicides used in the United States and Europe is Roundup®, made by Monsanto. Now, an article on the Huffington Post reports that Roundup® causes birth defects…and that industry regulators have know about it for years, but have not made that information public. The source of that information, a recent article titled “Round up and Birth Defects: Is the Public Being Kept In the Dark?” It was authored by an international group of molecular geneticists, toxicopathologists, and other experts.
According to the report, regulators knew as far back as 1980 that glyphosate–the main chemical in Roundup–could cause birth defects in animals. In addition, an epidemiological study in Paraguay found that women who were exposed duringpregnancy to herbicides were more likely to deliver offspring with birth defects than unexposed women. Another study in Ontario, Canada found high levels of premature births and miscarriages in female members of farming families that used pesticides, including glyphosate.
Why haven’t we heard anything about this? We don’t know for sure, but the phrase “follow the money” comes to mind. And chances are consumers won’t be protected anytime soon. According to the Huffington Post article:
Although glyphosate was originally due to be reviewed in 2012, the Commission decided late last year not to bring the review forward, instead delaying it until 2015. The chemical will not be reviewed under more stringent, up-to-date standards until 2030.
The scientists and authors of the birth defects article recommend that the public shouldn’t wait for the industry to take action, but should take steps to protect themselves against the harmful effects of herbicides and pesticides containing glyphosate, by avoiding the use of these products as much as possible.
To read the Huffington Post article, click here: Roundup Birth Defects: Regulators Knew World’s Best-Selling Herbicide Causes Problems, New Report Finds
