Healthy soil and sustainable growing

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http://www.projectcensored.org/censored_2007/index.htm#13
Top 25 Censored news stories of 20
#13 New Evidence Establishes Dangers of Roundup
Sources:

Third World Resurgence, No. 176, April 2005
Title: “New Evidence of Dangers of Roundup Weedkiller”
Author: Chee Yoke Heong

Faculty Evaluator: Jennifer While
Student Researchers: Peter McArthur and Lani Ready

New studies from both sides of the Atlantic reveal that Roundup, the
most widely used weedkiller in the world, poses serious human health
threats. More than 75 percent of genetically modified (GM) crops are
engineered to tolerate the absorption of Roundup—it eliminates all
plants that are not GM. Monsanto Inc., the major engineer of GM
crops, is also the producer of Roundup. Thus, while Roundup was
formulated as a weapon against weeds, it has become a prevalent
ingredient in most of our food crops.

Three recent studies show that Roundup, which is used by farmers and
home gardeners, is not the safe product we have been led to trust.

A group of scientists led by biochemist Professor Gilles-Eric
Seralini from the University of Caen in France found that human
placental cells are very sensitive to Roundup at concentrations lower
than those currently used in agricultural application.

An epidemiological study of Ontario farming populations showed that
exposure to glyphosate, the key ingredient in Roundup, nearly doubled
the risk of late miscarriages. Seralini and his team decided to
research the effects of the herbicide on human placenta cells. Their
study confirmed the toxicity of glyphosate, as after eighteen hours
of exposure at low concentrations, large proportions of human
placenta began to die. Seralini suggests that this may explain the
high levels of premature births and miscarriages observed among
female farmers using glyphosate.

Seralini’s team further compared the toxic effects of the Roundup
formula (the most common commercial formulation of glyphosate and
chemical additives) to the isolated active ingredient, glyphosate.
They found that the toxic effect increases in the presence of Roundup
‘adjuvants’ or additives. These additives thus have a facilitating
role, rendering Roundup twice as toxic as its isolated active
ingredient, glyphosate.

Another study, released in April 2005 by the University of
Pittsburgh, suggests that Roundup is a danger to other life-forms and
non-target organisms. Biologist Rick Relyea found that Roundup is
extremely lethal to amphibians. In what is considered one of the most
extensive studies on the effects of pesticides on nontarget organisms
in a natural setting, Relyea found that Roundup caused a 70 percent
decline in amphibian biodiversity and an 86 percent decline in the
total mass of tadpoles. Leopard frog tadpoles and gray tree frog
tadpoles were nearly eliminated.

In 2002, a scientific team led by Robert Belle of the National Center
for Scientific Research (CNRS) biological station in Roscoff, France
showed that Roundup activates one of the key stages of cellular
division that can potentially lead to cancer. Belle and his team have
been studying the impact of glyphosate formulations on sea urchin
cells for several years. The team has recently demonstrated in
Toxicological Science (December 2004) that a “control point” for DNA
damage was affected by Roundup, while glyphosate alone had no effect.
“We have shown that it’s a definite risk factor, but we have not
evaluated the number of cancers potentially induced, nor the time
frame within which they would declare themselves,” Belle acknowledges.

There is, indeed, direct evidence that glyphosate inhibits an
important process called RNA transcription in animals, at a
concentration well below the level that is recommended for commercial
spray application.

There is also new research that shows that brief exposure to
commercial glyphosate causes liver damage in rats, as indicated by
the leakage of intracellular liver enzymes. The research indicates
that glyphosate and its surfactant in Roundup were found to act in
synergy to increase damage to the liver.

UPDATE BY CHEE YOKE HEONG
Roundup Ready weedkiller is one of the most widely used weedkillers
in the world for crops and backyard gardens. Roundup, with its active
ingredient glyphosate, has long been promoted as safe for humans and
the environment while effective in killing weeds. It is therefore
significant when recent studies show that Roundup is not as safe as
its promoters claim.

This has major consequences as the bulk of commercially planted
genetically modified crops are designed to tolerate glyphosate (and
especially Roundup), and independent field data already shows a trend
of increasing use of the herbicide. This goes against industry claims
that herbicide use will drop and that these plants will thus be more
“environment-friendly.” Now it has been found that there are serious
health effects, too. My story therefore aimed to highlight these new
findings and their implications to health and the environment.

Not surprisingly, Monsanto came out refuting some of the findings of
the studies mentioned in the article. What ensued was an open
exchange between Dr. Rick Relyea and Monsanto, whereby the former
stood his grounds. Otherwise, to my knowledge, no studies have since
emerged on Roundup.

For more information look to the following sources:
Professor Gilles-Eric, criigen@ibfa.unicaen.fr
Biosafety Information Center, http://www.biosafety-info.net
Institute of Science in Society, http://www.i-sis.org.uk