According to a recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) research, the majority of urine samples the public health organisation examined contained a common pesticide ingredient related to cancer.
Food is the main route of exposure to glyphosate for the children, aged 18 and under, according to CDC researchers. Glyphosate is the active ingredient in Bayer’s Roundup, the weedkiller most widely used by conventional agriculture around the world.
In a news release on Monday, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) pointed out 87 percent of 650 children tested had detectable levels of glyphosate.
“Glyphosate is the most widely used herbicide in the country, yet until now we had very little data on exposure,” said Alexis Temkin, Ph.D., EWG toxicologist. “Children in the U.S. are regularly exposed to this cancer-causing weedkiller through the food they eat virtually every day.”
“The Environmental Protection Agency should take concrete regulatory action to dramatically lower the levels of glyphosate in the food supply and protect children’s health,” said Temkin.
In March 2015, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, or IARC classified glyphosate as “probably carcinogenic to humans.” Nearly 1,000 peer-reviewed, published papers on the chemical’s possible carcinogenicity were examined by the 17-member scientific team.
In August 2020, the U.S. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry released a toxicological report for Glyphosate.
Glyphosate levels were reported in a study from foods purchased between January and June 2020 and represent a snapshot of glyphosate contamination in hummus, chickpeas and other bean and lentil products.
Last month, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected an appeal from Bayer to throw out a lawsuit from a plaintiff accusing Roundup of causing him non-Hodgkin lymphoma, clearing the way for thousands of lawsuits against the pesticide company to proceed.
Related article: Biden Administration Asks U.S. Supreme Court to reject Bayer Weedkiller Appeal