Health Canada made glyphosate legal in Canada for an additional 15 years back in 2017. After pressure from environmental groups, Health Canada said it took another look at scientific data and decided to stand by its 2017 decision to keep glyphosate on the market.

Who Made Glyphosate Legal in Canada?

Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency is the sub-agency with jurisdiction over glyphosate. The agency is legally bound to reassess the risks of herbicides every 15 years.

What Did the Pest Management Regulatory Agency Take into Consideration?

According to CBC, the agency examined more than 1,300 different studies regarding Roundup herbicides and other glyphosate-based products. They concluded that if the herbicides are correctly labeled and used according to directions that the products are safe.

Who Asked for an Independent Review of Health Canada’s Approval of Glyphosate?

Ecojustice, Environmental Defence, and Canadian Physicians for the Environment are among the groups that requested an independent review due to concerns the weedkiller is truly dangerous. These groups and others question the safety of keeping glyphosate legal in Canada. Health Canada did not grant the requested review but instead assigned twenty researchers who did not participate in the 2017 review to look over the data.

Why Is There Continued Speculation that Glyphosate is Dangerous?

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), an agency under the World Health Organization (WHO), deemed glyphosate a probable human carcinogen back in 2015.

What Cancer Has Been Linked to the Weedkiller?

Many people who have used Roundup by Monsanto, which is now owned by Bayer AG of Germany, have alleged the product caused them to develop non-Hodgkins lymphoma, a cancer that starts in the lymphatic system. Non-Hodgkins lymphoma causes tumors to develop from a type of white blood cell known as lymphocytes.

After Health Canada Declared Glyphosate Safe, Why Are Groups Still Concerned?

According to Environmental Defence Canada, Europe’s studies allegedly plagiarized more than 70 percent of their content regarding potential health impacts from glyphosate. The original content was a report written by people who represented the herbicide industry, which means the conclusions could have been influenced by industry power players.

Is Glyphosate Legal in the U.S.?

Yes. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says glyphosate is not carcinogenic, but also allegedly based the decision on research made by herbicide companies. The EPA also purportedly based its decision on glyphosate alone, rather than the toxic mixture of chemicals that make up Roundup herbicides.

Have Independent Studies Shown Roundup is Dangerous?

In 2002, French researchers published a study they performed that indicated glyphosate alone did not interfere with cellular activity, but Roundup, which contains glyphosate and other potentially toxic chemicals, interfered with cell cycle regulation in sea urchins. The researchers wrote that because the cell cycle regulation mechanism is universal throughout all species, they believe their results “question the safety of glyphosate and Roundup on human health.”

Have Cancer Sufferers Filed Successful Lawsuits Against Monsanto?

In the U.S., lawyers have successfully brought civil claims against Roundup’s manufacturer. One verdict resulted in an award of $2 billion, which a judge later cut to $87 million.

Other verdicts against Monsanto or settlements with the company have resulted in millions of dollars of compensation for cancer survivors.