Ruqayyah Snyder
In Australia, the use of Roundup, a glyphosate-based herbicide, has been a topic of debate and legal scrutiny. While it is widely used in agriculture and home gardening due to its effectiveness in killing weeds, there are concerns about its potential health and environmental impacts. Some local governments and councils in Australia have already phased out or pledged to review the use of Roundup. Environmentalists and concerned citizens are calling for a ban, citing potential risks to insect habitats and human health. A class action lawsuit involving more than 800 Australians with non-Hodgkin lymphoma alleges that their cancer is linked to Roundup exposure. The outcome of this case could have significant regulatory implications for the use of glyphosate-containing products in Australia. While the manufacturer, Monsanto, maintains that Roundup is safe when used as directed, the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) continues to monitor scientific literature and will take appropriate action if new evidence of risk emerges.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Is Roundup banned in Australia? | No |
| Number of Australians with non-Hodgkin lymphoma alleging cancer is linked to exposure to Roundup | 800 |
| Status of glyphosate products in Australia | Registered for use |
| Status of Roundup in Australia | Sold |
| Status of glyphosate in Australia | Widely used |
| Status of glyphosate in Germany | Banned |
| Number of Americans suing over glyphosate | 18,400 |
| Number of lawsuits settled by Bayer in the US | 100,000 |
| Amount paid by Bayer to settle lawsuits in the US | $10.9 billion |
| Number of countries where similar cases have been heard | 2 (US and Australia) |
| Number of countries where restrictions have been introduced | 2 (US and Vietnam) |
| Number of countries where partial restrictions or total bans have been opted for | 3 (France, Germany, Italy) |
| Number of local governments in Australia that have stopped using Roundup | 3 (Fairfield City Council in Sydney, Moyne Council in Victoria, and an unspecified council in Sydney) |
| Number of scientific studies reviewed by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) | 1,200 |
| Number of peer-reviewed articles by scientists at the APVMA | 4,700 |
| Number of glyphosate products registered by the APVMA | 500 |
| Number of glyphosate products registered by the APVMA for home garden use | 2 (concentrates and ready-to-use sprays) |
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What You'll Learn
Glyphosate is widely used in Australia
Glyphosate is a herbicide that is widely used in Australia for weed control in agriculture, public and industrial areas, and
The use of glyphosate in Australia is regulated by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA), which ensures that glyphosate products meet specific criteria regarding safety for people and the environment. The APVMA sets Maximum Residue Limits for pesticides, including glyphosate, to limit the level of residue that can be legally present in Australian and imported foods. The authority also works with Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) to monitor glyphosate levels in the food supply as part of the Australian Total Diet Study. This study has consistently found very low levels of glyphosate in foods, with no safety concerns for the Australian population.
While glyphosate is widely used in Australia, there have been concerns about its potential health effects. In 2015, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) published a report classifying glyphosate as "probably carcinogenic to humans". As a result, a class action lawsuit involving more than 800 Australians diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma alleges that their cancer is linked to their exposure to Roundup. The outcome of this case could have significant regulatory implications for the production and use of glyphosate-containing products.
Despite the concerns, glyphosate continues to be registered for use in Australia. The APVMA maintains that glyphosate products are safe when used according to the instructions on the label. The authority also states that it will continue to monitor scientific literature and take appropriate action if new evidence emerges regarding the risks posed by glyphosate.
The use of glyphosate is supported by some farmers and advocates, who argue that it has transformed agriculture by providing a method of weed control that is gentler on the land. They claim that banning glyphosate would encourage the use of less effective and potentially more harmful weed-control methods. However, there are also farmers who disagree and choose not to use glyphosate, prioritising alternative methods that do not involve the use of this herbicide.
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Monsanto says Roundup is safe
Monsanto, the manufacturer of Roundup, maintains that the product is safe when used as directed and is not carcinogenic. This position is based on the results of hundreds of rigorous studies that have been conducted on Roundup and its glyphosate-based herbicides. According to a spokeswoman for Monsanto, the "weight of this extensive body of science confirms that glyphosate is safe when used as directed".
Monsanto's defence of Roundup's safety has been challenged by numerous lawsuits and class actions. In one notable case, a jury in Georgia ordered Monsanto to pay nearly $2.1 billion in damages to a man who claimed that Roundup caused his cancer. This decision marked the latest in a series of court battles Monsanto has faced over Roundup's safety, with the company facing more than 177,000 lawsuits involving the product. In addition to the litigation, there have also been concerns raised about the validity of some of the tests conducted on glyphosate, with some studies associating the ingredient with cancer.
Despite the ongoing legal challenges and concerns, Monsanto continues to stand by the safety of Roundup products. The company has stated that the studies have been repeated and that the results confirm the safety of the product. Monsanto also points to the approval of regulatory bodies and scientific assessments worldwide, which support the safety profile of Roundup.
In Australia, Roundup continues to be sold, and its active ingredient, glyphosate, is widely used in agriculture, industrial areas, and home gardens. While there have been calls for a ban on glyphosate in Australia, supporters of the product argue that it is essential for weed control and that banning it would encourage the use of less effective and potentially more harmful methods. The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) considers glyphosate products safe to use when the instructions on the label are followed, and the authority has published guidelines for the safe use of these products.
While the debate over the safety of Roundup and glyphosate continues, Monsanto maintains its position that the product is safe when used as directed. The company emphasizes the importance of following the manufacturer's directions and adhering to safety protocols when using pesticides and herbicides.
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$40.99 $44.99
Australian court to decide if glyphosate causes cancer
In January 2024, an Australian court heard closing arguments in a class-action lawsuit alleging that the weedkiller Roundup, produced by Bayer, caused cancer. This was the first such case in Australia to reach this stage. The lawsuit brought together more than 1,000 claimants, including more than 800 Australians diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma who alleged their cancer was linked to their exposure to Roundup.
Roundup is widely used in Australia, and its key ingredient, glyphosate, is an extremely effective herbicide with low toxicity to humans and animals. Glyphosate is supplied as concentrates for professional users and ready-to-use sprays for home gardeners. It is used to kill weeds in agriculture, industrial areas, and home gardens. It is also used in no-till cropping to kill weeds before planting the next crop, which aims to reduce soil erosion and CO2 emissions compared to traditional ploughing methods.
In defending the class action, Monsanto, the manufacturer of Roundup, maintains that its glyphosate-based herbicides have been rigorously tested in hundreds of studies. A spokeswoman said, "The weight of this extensive body of science confirms that glyphosate is safe when used as directed and is not carcinogenic." However, not all farmers agree, and some advocate for a transition away from pesticide use.
If the Federal Court accepts that Roundup and glyphosate can cause cancer, the civil class action will then seek to determine if Monsanto and its Australian division, Huntsman Chemical Company, were negligent regarding the risks posed by its products. A ruling in favor of the claimants could lead to regulatory change restricting the use of glyphosate, which farmers say would hurt their ability to sustainably produce food. However, others argue that it is time for the industry to embrace farming methods that do not rely on chemical control.
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Over 800 Australians claim cancer is linked to Roundup
In 2019, Australians claimed that the weed killer Roundup, which has been a mainstay of farming fields and suburban gardens for decades, was linked to their cancer. Ross Wild, a grain and sheep farmer, was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma after using Roundup for decades. Similarly, Scottie Ross, who worked as a rigger at the major manufacturer of Roundup, Monsanto, in the 1980s, died from esophageal cancer. His wife Jill questioned whether his illness was linked to his work at the plant.
In 2024, a class action lawsuit was filed on behalf of more than 800 Australians diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma, alleging that their cancer was linked to their exposure to Roundup. The lawsuit claimed that Roundup's active ingredient, glyphosate, was carcinogenic and capable of causing non-Hodgkin lymphoma in humans. The case was launched by Maurice Blackburn Lawyers and sought to determine if the manufacturer, Monsanto, and its Australian division, Huntsman Chemical Company, were negligent regarding the risks posed by its products.
Monsanto maintained that Roundup and its glyphosate-based herbicides had been rigorously tested in hundreds of studies and were safe when used as directed. They argued that the applicants had not proved that glyphosate was a carcinogen. The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) also deemed glyphosate products safe to use when the instructions on the label were followed.
In July 2024, an Australian federal court judge ruled that there was insufficient evidence to prove that Roundup's active ingredient, glyphosate, caused cancer in the over 800 non-Hodgkin lymphoma patients. The judge, Justice Michael Lee, considered only the question of general causation and ordered the proceedings to be dismissed. Despite this ruling, similar cases have been heard in the United States, where Monsanto's parent company Bayer settled almost 100,000 lawsuits in 2020, paying out billions in damages.
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Some local governments have stopped using Roundup
While glyphosate products, including Roundup, are registered for use in Australia, some local governments have stopped using Roundup. For instance, the Fairfield City Council in Sydney has phased out Roundup, and other Sydney councils have pledged to conduct reviews. In Victoria, the Moyne Council and the state's environment department have also stopped using Roundup. These decisions come amid concerns about the potential health and environmental risks associated with glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup.
Victoria's environment department reviewed the use of glyphosate "as a matter of precaution" and found that it was safe for glyphosate products to be used as long as proper safety protocols and internal procedures were followed. However, some local governments have chosen to stop using Roundup altogether. This may be due to the ongoing class action lawsuit against Monsanto, the manufacturer of Roundup, which alleges that the product is carcinogenic and has caused non-Hodgkin lymphoma in users.
The lawsuit, which involves more than 800 Australians, seeks to determine if Roundup and glyphosate are carcinogenic and if the manufacturer was negligent in ignoring the potential risks. If the Federal Court accepts that Roundup is carcinogenic, it could have significant regulatory implications for the production and use of glyphosate products in Australia. The outcome of the lawsuit may also influence other local governments to reconsider their use of Roundup.
While Roundup continues to be sold in Australia, the public and local governments are increasingly aware of the potential risks associated with its use. The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) has stated that registered glyphosate products are safe when used according to label directions. However, it is important to recognise that individual users and local governments may choose to stop using Roundup due to their own assessments of the risks and alternative weed management strategies.
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Frequently asked questions
No, Roundup is not banned in Australia. However, there is a class action lawsuit against the manufacturer of Roundup, Monsanto, alleging that the product causes cancer. The lawsuit involves more than 800 Australians with non-Hodgkin lymphoma who claim their cancer is linked to their exposure to Roundup.
The class action lawsuit against Monsanto is currently ongoing, with scientists giving evidence on whether glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup, is carcinogenic. If the court accepts that Roundup can cause cancer, the lawsuit will then determine if Monsanto was negligent regarding the risks posed by its product.
The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) has registered glyphosate products for use in Australia and considers them safe when used according to the instructions on the label. The APVMA has reviewed more than 1200 scientific studies on glyphosate and will continue to monitor scientific literature, taking action if new evidence emerges that glyphosate poses a risk.
Environmentalists and some farmers are calling for a ban on glyphosate due to concerns about its potential impact on insect habitats and human health. A 2015 report by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified glyphosate as "probably carcinogenic to humans". However, other studies have found that glyphosate has low toxicity for humans, animals, and the environment.
