No Evidence Proves Glyphosate as Carcinogenic

Cancer is one of the deadliest diseases in the world. There are different types of cancer and are caused by certain things such as smoking, radiation, viruses, chemicals, and obesity. Cancer is also caused by everyday items that are hard to avoid like cell phones, diesel fumes, and even high-temperature cooking. There was a debate whether or not glyphosate causes cancer. A recent study puts an end to that debate and says “there’s no evidence that glyphosate causes cancer in humans.” 

What Is Glyphosate? 

Glyphosate is a chemical compound that is widely used as an herbicide and weed killer. It was invented in 1974 and is one of the main active ingredients in hundreds of commercial and industrial products. Glyphosate is the most widely used herbicide in the world and is sold in various other names. Glyphosate is mainly used for genetically modified crops and also used in a variety of ways for non genetically modified crops. 

Scientific Research 

The U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says there is no evidence in humans for the carcinogenicity of glyphosate. The European Food Safety Authority also agrees to it. In 2005, the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) stated that glyphosate is probably carcinogenic to humans. After this statement, many people filed a lawsuit against the manufacturers of glyphosate herbicides. 

Back in 2019, researchers at the University of Washington deduced that using glyphosate can increase the risk of lymphoma cancer by 41 percent. The study published in Mutation Research, suggests a compelling link between herbicides with glyphosate and increased risk of lymphoma. Glyphosate manufacturers agreed to settle all current and future lawsuits against them and stood by their products. 

Lymphoma 

Lymphoma is one of the most common cancers and more than 81,500 new diagnoses each year. It is generally classified into two types: high-grade lymphoma and low-grade lymphoma. American Cancer Society says non-Hodgkin lymphoma is linked to a variety of risk factors but the cause of the disease is unknown. non-Hodgkin mostly affects elderly people and men more than women. 

How Can You Avoid Glyphosate? 

To be on the safer side, you can use the following methods for weed removal. These methods are suggested by experts at North Carolina State University. 

Manual Removal– For every two weeks, you can walk to the field and directly pull the weeds by hand. This is the best alternative method for glyphosate. It is advised to remove weeds early before they develop a strong root. 

Flame Weeding- It is used to kill seedling broadleaf weeds. Only light exposure to the flame is required to heat the plant. After exposure to heat, the leaves collapse.  

Steam/hot Foam Weeding–  You can use pressurized steam, hot water, or a foaming agent, these machines use approximately 60 gallons of water per hour. You must handle this with care as it can cause severe burns.