Glyphosate: Health Concerns and Safer Alternatives

Glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup, is a popular non-selective herbicide effective against a wide range of plant species. It is used in agriculture, forestry, home lawn and garden, and industrial areas to control weeds and regulate plant growth. 

Despite glyphosate’s wide use, recent developments have cast a spotlight on potential health concerns linked to the ingredient. Multiple Roundup lawsuits filed against Roundup manufacturer Bayer allege exposure to the weed killer caused them to develop non-Hodgkin lymphoma and other cancers.

How Does Glyphosate Work?

Glyphosate stops plants from making certain proteins needed for growth. It inhibits the shikimic acid pathway, an enzyme pathway producing amino acids that plants and several other tiny living things — such as algae, fungi and bacteria — need to grow and live.

Users spray glyphosate on leaves, quickly affecting this pathway. It is a systematic herbicide that travels through the phloem (dynamic vascular transport system that can carry water, minerals, nutrients and biological macromolecules from leaves to lower basal parts of the plant) and kills plants down to the roots. Some glyphosate-safe seeds and crops, like Roundup Ready crops, are modified to be resistant to glyphosate. This allows farmers to spray entire fields with glyphosate, which will kill only weeds without harming the crops.

First introduced in 1974 as the active ingredient in Roundup, more than 750 glyphosate-based products are now available on the market. Other popular weed killers containing glyphosate include Rodeo and Touchdown.

Bayer acquired Roundup from Monsanto in 2018. In 2023, Bayer pledged to reformulate its residential Roundup products to remove glyphosate. Roundup products formulated for agriculture and other large-scale applications still contain glyphosate.

Glyphosate is also used in aquariums to control algae and weeds with brands like AquaPro Aquatic, Roundup Custom Herbicide and AquaNeat. Users should be cautious as glyphosate “is toxic to a variety of fish species,” according to a 2022 research article in Aquatic Toxicology.

A 2024 study published in Environmental Sciences Europe also describes its toxic nature in a variety of aquatic microorganisms, invertebrates, and even important terrestrial pollinators like bees.

Interaction with glyphosate may lead to a variety of side effects, the severity of which depends on key toxicological variables, the amount and duration of contact. The most common health issues stem from inhalation or skin contact.

While glyphosate does not readily pass through human skin, it can be fatal if swallowed. The National Pesticide Information Center studies show that glyphosate leaves the body soon after ingestion through urine and feces without changing its chemical composition.

In January 2024, a Philadelphia jury determined that glyphosate-based Roundup caused a Pennsylvania man’s non-Hodgkin lymphoma. While thousands of lawsuits allege a link between Roundup and cancer, some researchers and regulatory agencies disagree.

In 2015, the International Agency for Research on Cancer classified glyphosate as “probably carcinogenic.” Recent studies suggest potential links, with a 2023 study in Leukemia and Lymphoma finding an increased risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma because of exposure to certain herbicides like glyphosate. A 2019 study found a 41% increased risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma with high Roundup exposure.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) disagrees. In January 2020, after considering the public comments received, the EPA released the Interim Registration Review Decision. The EPA continues to find that there are no risks to public health when glyphosate is used in accordance with its current label. Several other agencies, including the European Food Safety Authority and the Joint Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)/World Health Organization (WHO) Meeting on Pesticide Residues (JMPR), have determined that it is unlikely to be a carcinogen.

Growing concerns about cancer and other health effects have led some European Union countries to ban glyphosate. In 2020, Bayer paid almost $11 billion to settle Roundup lawsuits in the U.S. that alleged glyphosate exposure caused plaintiffs’ cancer.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 81% of Americans over the age of 6 have recently had glyphosate exposure.

“Sometimes, residue can end up on crops, which is damaging for both human and animal consumption,” Chrissie Handley, lawn care specialist at Turf Online, told Drugwatch.

You may be exposed to glyphosate if you eat meat from animals who consume grain or grasslands treated with glyphosate.

Glyphosate Exposure from Food & Water Contamination

The Environmental Working Group commissioned several rounds of testing in food to detect the chemical. It found glyphosate in 95% of the wheat samples tested. Glyphosate in food and drinking water raises concerns about its potential public impact.

The safe level of glyphosate in food varies based on the food type. The EPA sets the safe range of glyphosate in food from 0.1 parts per million to 400 parts per million, depending on the type of food.

Most food safety regulatory bodies say the levels of glyphosate found in food are safe for humans. But some experts question the long-term health effects of continuous exposure to such a potent chemical.

“Residue can also leak into groundwater sources and contaminate those, then potentially contaminating large drinking water sources,” Handley said. “If there’s been a significant amount of rain, residue can run off into lakes, rivers and other water sources also.”

Glyphosate is a primary contaminant under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act, with a Maximum Contaminant Level Goal (MCLG) based on potential health risks and exposure, and a Maximum Contaminant Level Goal (MCLG) based on the MCLG set at 0.7 parts per million (ppm).

To reduce exposure to glyphosate, consider natural Roundup alternatives. Opt for environmentally friendly weed control solutions like vinegar-based products, soap salts, essential oil herbicides and iron-based products. These alternatives effectively eliminate weeds without the potential health concerns associated with glyphosate. 

If you choose to use glyphosate, wear long-sleeved shirts, long pants and a mask for spraying to minimize skin irritation and other adverse effects. Always avoid direct contact with the herbicide.

While glyphosate remains popular, ongoing legal cases and growing awareness of health risks warrant consideration of safer alternatives. Always follow safety instructions when using any herbicides, and explore manual weed control methods for a holistic approach to gardening.