Science Takes on Roundup

Richard Ha writes:

Academics Review (an association of “academic professors, researchers, teachers and credentialed authors from around the world who are committed to the unsurpassed value of the peer review in establishing sound science”) has taken on a television program, which recently aired in Australia, and that reported a study of ten nursing mothers’ milk revealed the presence of glyphosate.

Academics Review lists quite a few points to consider about the study, which it says: was not a scientific one, had a number of factors undermining its strength, reported results not consistent with U.S. date on glyphosate in human subjects, used some misleading wording and conclusions, and originated from a biased source.

From the post:

Glyphosate is a relatively non-toxic broad-spectrum herbicide sold under the brand name Roundup that has been used for more than 40 years around homes, in landscapes and parks, and in agriculture.  Glyphosate is far less toxic than alternative herbicides, has a broader spectrum of activity, and has fewer adverse effects on herbicide-tolerant transgenic plants than typical herbicides have on most crops. Since it is not persistent in the environment or groundwater and has low toxicity, glyphosate is generally considered to have less environmental impact than other herbicides. 

An extensive scientific literature indicates that glyphosate is specifically not genotoxic, is not a carcinogen or a teratogen, nor has any specific adverse health effect ever been demonstrated to have been caused by exposure to or low-level consumption of glyphosate. It has little effect on non-target organisms other than plants; a contributing factor to this is that glyphosate inhibits an enzyme found in plants. This enzyme is not found in humans, other mammals, birds, fish, or insects. 

Academics Review concluded:

The use of glyphosate on herbicide tolerant crops has proven problematic to anti-GMO activists since adoption of the technology promotes the switch to a chemical with a lower environmental impact quotient and lower toxicity.  Recently, claims of adverse effects caused by glyphosate have begun to appear.  Although none of the reports has proven credible, it appears that these reports are part of a deliberate campaign to create the false impression that glyphosate is highly toxic and harmful as a basis of calling for bans of glyphosate which in turn would obviate the use of most HT-crop plants. 

Glyphosate is not sprayed on fruits and vegetables grown in Hawai‘i. It would kill the crops. Nonetheless, it’s important to remember that the current worry about its use is not backed up by science.