I am not a chemist and on checking, unreservedly admit that I am wrong about the compounds however; the rest of what I wrote is true. To suggest that American courts are awarding millions of dollars to victims of Roundup because there is reasonable doubt that Roundup was not the cause is untenable. Most cases, particularly of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, have come about as a result of regular and extended exposure. It was first introduced in 1974; 45 years ago. As far back as 1985, glyphosate was designated a Class C Carcinogen. When considering research evidence, it is very important to note who funded that research. Unsurprisingly, Monsanto funded and published research indicates that it is safe whilst independent studies have demonstrated the opposite. In 2012 the French Professor Gilles-Eric Seralini published his famous toxicity study, which showed how rats fed on a diet containing NK603 Roundup tolerant GM maize or given water containing Roundup, at levels permitted in drinking water and GM crops in the U.S., suffered severe liver and kidney damage. This was not the first independent study showing the possible damage being caused to health by glyphosate-based herbicide but it was the most high profile long-term study. In 2015, the World Health Organization’s cancer agency, IARC, classified glyphosate as “probably carcinogenic to humans” (Group 2A). This was based on “limited” evidence of cancer in humans (from real-world exposures that actually occur) and “sufficient” evidence of cancer in experimental animals (from studies of “pure” glyphosate). IARC also concluded that there was “strong” evidence for genotoxicity, both for “pure” glyphosate and for glyphosate formulations. In a unique public testing project carried out by a laboratory at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF), glyphosate was discovered in 93% of urine samples from across America during the early phase of the testing in 2015.In 2017, a peer-reviewed study led by Dr Michael Antoniou at King’s College London using cutting edge profiling methods describes the molecular composition of the livers of female rats administered with an extremely low dose of Roundup weedkiller over a 2-year period. The dose of glyphosate from the Roundup administered was thousands of times below what is permitted by regulators worldwide. The study revealed that these animals suffered from non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). This study is unique in that it is the first to show a causative link between consumption of Roundup at a real-world environmental dose and a serious disease condition. In 2017, internal Monsanto and EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) communications, released during a growing number of Roundup cancer court cases, revealed the reality of the 30+ year glyphosate cover-up. The internal company emails show how Monsanto has colluded with the EPA to play down glyphosate safety concerns, admitted that Roundup / glyphosate could possibly cause cancer and other harm to human health and also attempted to silence the work of Professor Seralini.In the first "landmark" legal case last year, $78 M total damages were awarded to the former school groundskeeper, Dewayne Johnson of California. If circumstantial evidence is anything to go by, the well researched and published decline in wildlife from wild plants and insects to birds etc. should be taken as an indicator to investigate what has changed in the environment to bring about those results. Monoculture practices, currently condoned by DEFRA and supported by extensive biocide use are clearly implemented. Nothing of what you say negates the suggested implementation of the precautionary principle and that is what I am advocating. What do you mean by "supporters of green issues"?
Roland Willis Gilmore ● 2713d