Thank you!

This report came out 2 years ago. According to the report 250 environmentalists were going to petition the EPA to "examine" the inert ingredients in the fall. (I don't remember the exact wording.) This fall would have been the fall of 2009. (The report was June of 2009.)

Have you followed this story, and do you know what happened in the fall of 2009?

I appreciate this report, but am suspicious of everyone. I depend upon Round Up, and use about 2-4 gallons every 2-4 weeks. When we read the reports, it seems like all use is lumped together, and I have no idea what formulations are coming out of the airplanes.

I would love to read about some updates if there are any.

Thanks for linking us to the report.

Sammy

That was a link to the original report -- I will put a link below to this week's news story on the topic, which has more current information:

Here is a link that might be useful: Article about weed killer concerns, 6/20/11

Personally, I can't imagine why anyone would think Round-up wouldn't be harmful to humans. It's poison! It's made with toxic chemicals! Like all of these things the problem isn't the product but the idiots who use it improperly and carelessly. Like my charming neighbor who just goes out in her shorts and tank top, barefoot, and casually walks all around her yard spraying willy nilly anything and everything she doesn't like the looks of regardless of the weather or high winds. I have begged her to please tell me when she's going to do this so I can protect my roses which are down wind of her yard.

Please, read the label, use it correctly and take the proper precautions.

Sammy, 2-4 gallons every 2-4 weeks? That's seems like a lot. How big is your yard and what kind of weeds do you have?

"It's poison! It's made with toxic chemicals!"

This statement doesn't mean anything -- it doesn't prove Roundup is dangerous to humans. Toxic or poisonous means the chemical causes harm, and not everything that is harmful to a plant is going to be harmful to a mammal. Furthermore, many toxins are dose-dependent -- there are lots of substances that are beneficial in small quantities and toxic in large quantities -- think Vitamin A, for example. Chocolate and grapes are not dangerous for people, but can kill dogs. It's fallacious to assume that just because something will harm one type of organism, it must be harmful to humans.

I am not arguing that Roundup is safe to humans, but if I'm going to argue that it's dangerous, it will be based on knowing something about its chemistry, scientific studies of its effects, and so on, not meaningless assumptions about "poisonous chemicals."

There are well know side effects of roundup. In Denmark and other countries glyphosate turn up in ground water, and every years wells get closed and new ones have to be found. If you use Roundup it will stay in the soil for many years, and it will eventually turn up in the ground water where there are any. We often use this stuff way too easily. For example; along a path way you can often get by with spraying vinegar every other week. It doesn't kill roots, but all leaves and soft growth above ground are killed and eventually will wear out the plant.

I am still not shore about the effects on humans, but drinking traces of it every day cannot be good. I have to admit I have not kept up with the latest research.

Anything chemical is going to effect the human body & environment one way or another. I see it in factories that use chemicals all the time.

One of the big worries now about Roundup is the broad and increasing use of it on food crops.
Genetically-engineer the food crops to make them resistant to the effects of Roundup, then spray them with Roundup, to keep weeds down.

The problem is that the chemical stays in the food crops so-treated, and there appears to be increasing evidence of fetal damage. I'm not having any babies -- but I don't like that one bit!

It's used widely here along roads, and even in parks, and I don't like that one bit.

Jeri

"1.New plant disease linked to GM crops and pesticides
Flint Duxfield
ABC, 16 June 2011
http://www.abc.net.au/rural/content/2011/s3245624.htm

US scientists claim to have discovered a dangerous new plant disease linked to genetically modified crops and the pesticides used on them.

The research, which is yet to be completed, suggests the pathogen could be the cause of recent widespread crop failure and miscarriages in livestock.

Emeritus Professor Don Huber from Perdue University says his research shows that animals fed on GM corn or soybeans may suffer serious health problems due the pathogen.

"They're finding anywhere from 20 per cent to as much as 55 per cent of those [animals] will miscarriage or spontaneously abort," he said.

"It will kill a chicken embryo for instance in 24-48 hours."

"

Here is a link that might be useful: link for above

as usual, the mention of chemicals brings lots of people out in a ignorance rash. The issue here is one of information which is either deliberately obscure and opaque, or refers users to 'our website' (as if) or is printed in munuscule characters somewhere hidden on the labels (if at all, in fact). As long as we are kept in the dark by chemical manufacturers, we are going to continue to see misuse through lack of information or (worse) an ingrained belief that we, the general public, are being played for fools. Only this week, I have discovered that Clopyralid/amypyralid is now used for the home gardener in herbicides for killing broad leaved plants. Where 2,4,D was used in the past, manufacturers have switched to the cheaper clopyralid despite well known effects concerning the tenacity of its effects and resistance to either heat or long-term composting. It is becoming risky to put ANYTHING either in or on the soil without being absolutely sure of its provenance. We need clear and unbiased information so we can decide for ourselves what risks (if any) we are prepared to take and what price we are willing to pay. Hiding info in a morass of badly conducted research (often conducted by agencies which already have an agenda and are therefore compromised) is of no use to anyone. Rather than arguing for blanket bans, we should be demanding access to clear labelling with all ingredients listed (and not the usual greenwash- bio, natural, eco and so on).

I agree with you, Campanula, which is what I said. You have to read the label carefully (even the teeny tiny print), use the product correctly and take the proper precautions. We use chemicals all the time. They're in our homes, stores, offices, everywhere. Even all the "organic" things we use are types of chemicals. Just don't go around half dressed, spraying at random in a high wind next to MY roses please!

I'm sure the stuff is bad in some way or another for humans and surely bad for the environment in the amounts we in America use... but all I can imagine is that the only reason the ceo of Monsanto can sleep at night is because he must also have knotweed growing on the edges of his property.

I'm not sure pouring vinegar on concrete is such a good idea. Won't it slowly eat it away?

I was under the impression that roundup would tightly bind to the soil when it came in contact with the ground. It would basically be stuck and wouldn't wash away. Maybe if it's sprayed on asphalt or concrete it runs into the sewer, but I don't think this happens when sprayed over soil.

I live in south Louisiana, which provides a perfect environment for the rapid growth of weeds, aka plants that you don't want in a particular place. But I'm able to maintain large no-spray flower and vegetable beds by using very heavy mulching (layers of corrugated cardboard or newspapers under bark, straw, etc.) to suppress existing growth and to prevent germination of seeds in the soil. And a side benefit is, worms love to hang out under this type of sheet mulching. I also cultivate or pluck weeds before they have a chance to go to seed. Follow this practice for awhile and you'll see your garden getting cleaner and cleaner. No Roundup needed.

The following was stated: "I was under the impression that roundup would tightly bind to the soil when it came in contact with the ground. It would basically be stuck and wouldn't wash away. Maybe if it's sprayed on asphalt or concrete it runs into the sewer, but I don't think this happens when sprayed over soil."

H.Kuska comment. The above is what the advertising says. To see what the science says, see the 2011 published, reviewed paper linked to in the "Optional Link URL" below.

A very recent USDA summary can be found at: http://www.agron.iastate.edu/news/events/2011staniforth_sm.pdf

Here is a link that might be useful: Phytotoxicity of glyphosate soil residues re-mobilised by phosphate fertilisation

There has to be more data on this. Farmers have been spraying this stuff massively, for decades. I doubt the main reason for glyphosate turning up in ground water is any other than fields being sprayed for weeds.

This link gives an earlier Parkinsons and glyphosate (Round-Up) thread.

Here is a link that might be useful: link for above