News
EU settles dispute over glyphosate
EU countries have voted to renew the licence of glyphosate for five years
The proposal at the EU
Commission’s Appeal Committee received eighteen votes in favour and nine against, with one abstention, ending months of deadlock.
The Commission says the new five‐ year licence will be ready before the current one expires on 15th December.
However, France plans to ban the use of glyphosate within three years.
In a tweet, French President Emmanuel Macron said he had ordered a ban on the use of glyphosate in France “as soon as alternatives are found, and within three years at the latest”.
One UN study called the chemical “probably carcinogenic", but other scientists said it was safe to use.
The UK was among the states in
favour of glyphosate renewal. Germany and Poland were also among them ‐ though they had previously abstained.
France and Belgium were among the states that voted against. Portugal abstained.
The EU Commission says the current proposal on the weedkiller “enjoys the broadest possible support by the member states while ensuring a high level of protection of human health and the environment”.
Glyphosate was introduced by Monsanto in 1974, but its patent expired in 2000, and now the chemical is sold by various manufacturers.
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) says glyphosate is unlikely to cause cancer in humans.
Critics say widespread use of glyphosate reduces biodiversity, by killing plants that are essential for many insects and other animals.
Some countries and regions have banned glyphosate use in public parks and gardens.
A 2016 study by Environmental Sciences Europe notes growing concern about intensive glyphosate use, because some plants have developed resistance to it ‐ meaning that farmers tend to use even more of the herbicide.
The European Commission says that, besides the EFSA, the
European Chemicals Agency and other scientific bodies found no link to cancer in humans.
The Soil Association says glyphosate traces are regularly found in bread.
According to the US National Pesticide Information Center, the chemical mostly passes through the body quickly in urine and faeces.
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4 I PC DECEMBER/JANUARY 2018
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