EPA reaffirms weed killer safe for users as court cases grow

Washington – The Environmental Protection Agency is reaffirming that a popular weed killer is safe for users, even as legal claims mount from people who blame the herbicide for their cancer.

The EPA’s draft findings Tuesday come after two recent U.S. court verdicts have awarded multimillion-dollar claims to men who blame glyphosate for their lymphoma. Glyphosate is the active ingredient in Roundup.

Bayer, which acquired Roundup-maker Monsanto last year, has reported U.S. lawsuits from 13,400 people over exposure to the weed killer.

The EPA’s draft findings in a periodic review conclude that glyphosate “is not likely to be carcinogenic to humans.”

Scientist Nathan Donley of the Center for Biological Diversity says the agency is relying on industry-backed studies and ignoring research that points to higher risks of cancer.