Farmers using herbicides based on glyphosate, such as Monsanto’s Roundup, will know by the end of the year whether the chemical is re-authorised for use after the European Chemical Agency (ECHA) found last week that it did not cause cancer.The agency’s risk assessment committee decided “the available scientific evidence did not meet the criteria to classify glyphosate as a carcinogen, as a mutagen or as toxic for reproduction”. ECHA retained the existing classification of the chemical as a causing serious eye damage and being toxic to aquatic life with long-lasting effects.
Farmers using herbicides based on glyphosate, such as Monsanto’s Roundup, will know by the end of the year whether the chemical is re-authorised for use after the European Chemical Agency (ECHA) found last week that it did not cause cancer.
The agency’s risk assessment committee decided “the available scientific evidence did not meet the criteria to classify glyphosate as a carcinogen, as a mutagen or as toxic for reproduction”. ECHA retained the existing classification of the chemical as a causing serious eye damage and being toxic to aquatic life with long-lasting effects.
The European Commission had issued a temporary licence until the end of this year specifically for the purpose of having the ECHA report inform the final decision, after member states failed to agree on the fate of glyphosate last June.
The ECHA opinion is no guarantee that glyphosate will be relicensed for a longer period of 10 or 15 years as is usually the case once scientific advice has set the rules for safe use of a chemical.
Environmental groups opposing the use of the herbicide ingredient pre-empted the decision with queries on alleged conflicts of interest for some members of the ECHA risk assessment committee, and the availability of independent data to evaluate the chemical.
Ahead of issuing its decision, the agency replied that it had established those questions were “absolutely not” a reason to “call into question the impartiality of the impending opinion on glyphosate”.
More generally, the role of EU expert committees ruling on the authorisation of chemicals and GMOs is coming under increased scrutiny. Citing last year’s glyphosate impasse, the European Commission launched a reform of this system last month: under the proposal, experts mandated by member states would no longer be able to block a decision by abstaining, their votes would be made public and difficult situations would be referred directly to ministers. There is little prospect of this legislation being passed in time to apply to the relicensing of glyphosate this year, however.
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