The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has published their peer review of the active ingredient glyphosate as part of the EU renewal process. The review concludes that; “Glyphosate is unlikely to pose a carcinogenic hazard to humans and the evidence does not support classification with regard to its carcinogenic potential”
Nick von Westenholz, CEO of the Crop Protection Association said:
“We are pleased to see that EFSA concurs with the numerous health assessments conducted by public authorities on glyphosate over the past 40 years which have all concluded that, when used correctly, it poses no meaningful risk to human health.
“As an industry we take pride in the fact that our products are demonstrably safe. Pesticides are amongst the most heavily regulated products in Europe and it currently takes about ten years, costing over £150m to bring an active ingredient to market. It is this process, backed by effective and independent regulatory scrutiny, that ensures the public can have absolute confidence in our products.
“Glyphosate is an important part of a farmer’s and gardener’s toolbox. It is particularly important in minimising food waste by controlling a broad spectrum of weeds and therefore reducing the need for ploughing of soils. This protects soils from degradation and reduces greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption. This is just one example of how modern farming relies on innovations in crop protection such as glyphosate to protect soil whilst helping make our land as productive as possible.”
