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| Compilation of Facts About Glyphosate Formulations |
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Introduction 1. Glyphosate
was first introduced and registered in 1974 by
Monsanto under the product name, Roundup®.
2. Since the
expiration of the patent on Roundup® in 1999 in the U.S.
and 2000 outside the U.S.
glyphosate has been sold in many different
formulations under many different names. Belize
currently has 17 registered glyphosate formulations.
3. Formulations
contain active and inert ingredients, adjuvants and
impurities.
4.
“Inactive”
ingredients have been shown to be 1000 times more
toxic than glyphosate alone. (The
acceptable daily intake for pesticides is calculated
from the toxicity of the active principle alone.)
5. Glyphosate
breaks down into other compounds such as AMPA which
is also biologically active and toxic although never
been tested by manufacturers. The
Effect of Glyphosate on Plants and Soil 1. Glyphosate
inhibits the function of the plant enzyme EPSPS in
the shikimate
pathway which inhibits amino acid synthesis
which leads to rapid cell death in all plants, fungi
and many bacteria species.
2. Glyphosate
chelates important minerals such as calcium,
magnesium, iron, cobalt, zinc, and manganese in the
soil which inhibits mineral absorption by the plant
which results in mineral deficiencies in food. 3. Glyphosate
impairs
water intake and damages
physiological processes in the plant including
disease resistance and photosynthesis. (More than 40
diseases are known
to be increased in weed control programs with
glyphosate, affecting a wide range of species:
apples, bananas, barley, bean, canola, citrus,
cotton, grape, melon, soybean, sugar beet,
sugarcane, tomato and wheat.) 4. After
glyphosate application root-colonizing Fusarium
increases significantly as well as the virulence
of soil pathogens such as Xylella fastidiosa which
causes citrus variegated chlorosis,
while the presence of beneficial soil organisms
decreases. 5. Glyphosate
destroys earthworms. The
Effect of Glyphosate on Human and Animal Health 1. Glyphosate
disrupts the gut microbiome in humans, causing the
suppression of biosynthesis of Cytochrome P450 (CYP)
enzymes and key amino acids; beneficial gut bacteria
are destroyed and pathogens are increased, leading
to intestinal diseases such as leaky gut, Celiac
disease, and other inflammatory diseases such as
Crohn’s disease. 2. Similarly
glyphosate disrupts the gut microbiome in domestic
farms animals, resulting in highly pathogenic
bacteria to cause diseases. 3. CYP26, a
key enzyme in the retinoic acid pathway, is also
adversely affected by glyphosate through
cell-signaling and physiology, resulting in a range
of developmental impacts including damage to DNA,
bone metabolism, liver metabolism, reproduction,
pregnancy, behaviour,
and hormone-dependent diseases such as breast or
prostate cancer and birth defects. 4. In March
2015 the World Health Organization’s International
Agency for Research on Cancer classified glyphosate
as a probable
carcinogenic to humans. 5. Non-Hodgkin’s
lymphoma (NHL), the fastest-growing cancer, has been
linked to glyphosate. 6. The
neurotoxic effects of glyphosate include autism,
Parkinson’s disease, depression, senile dementia,
and Alzheimer’s disease. 7. Glyphosate’s
strong chelating properties allow it to combine with
heavy metals and arsenic in hard water, resulting in
damage to renal tissues and thereby causing chronic
kidney diseases. 8. The US
Presidential study on health disclosed that only 23%
of food tested for pesticide residue had no residue. Belize is
not testing for residue. The
Effect of Glyphosate on the Environment 1. Glyphosate
and
its main metabolite AMPA can remain in the soil even
years after the last spraying. That means the
herbicide and its residues can remain active and
accumulate in soils with increasingly devastating
effects on soil ecology and fertility. 2. Runoff
pollutes
streams and other waterways. 3. Glyphosate
use
impacts animal biodiversity and health either directly
or indirectly through destruction of habitats. It is
considered to be particularly toxic to aquatic and
amphibian species, due to its high
water solubility. 4. 10 – 30% of
pesticides applied from the ground and 50 – 75% of
aerially sprayed pesticides spread off-site. 5. Glyphosate
was
detected at all sample sites in a three-year study in
the Maya Mountain Reserve by Kristine Kaiser, 2011. 6. The
destruction
of habitat of birds and butterflies, especially the
Monarch, has resulted in significant decreases in
their populations. 7. Honeybee
colonies
are being decimated directly by glyphosate poisoning
and indirectly by bees’ impaired cognitive capacities
to navigate. 8. When
glyphosate
affects key species, whole ecosystems are affected. Regulatory
Issues 1. Data
used
for determining safety of glyphosate is based on
studies done in the 1980’s, conducted by or funded by
Monsanto. 2 Most
studies were conducted using only the active
ingredient and conducted over short periods of time. 3. Most
studies
were conducted on adult animals. 4. Most
studies
were conducted using high dosages, under the
assumption that low dosages have no adverse effect. 5. Even
though
manufacturers’ data in the 1980’s disclosed adverse
health effects due to glyphosate, it is still marketed
as being safe. 6. The
USDA,
FDA, and European Union Food Safety Agency are staffed
with former Monsanto employees or directors. 7. The Good Laboratory Practice
(GLP) guidelines are set by the OECD (Organization
for Economic Cooperation and Development), a body
dedicated not to public health but to promoting
international trade and economic development. GLP is
a management system and does not guarantee good
science. Glyphosate Usage
in Belize 1. Of
the registered 515 pesticide formulations 17 are
registered glyphosate formulations and all are
classified Restricted Use Pesticide. 2. Glyphosate
was
the second-most imported pesticide in Belize in 2021:
157.81 metric ton of active ingredient. 3. Glyphosate
is sprayed widely and freely in Belize to control
weeds: under fences, along roadways, in playgrounds,
around gardens and walkways, around fields, under
trees, and in orchards. 4. Glyphosate
is
used by all major crop growers, individual farmers,
gardeners, and home owners. Conclusion Given the compelling case
against the safety of glyphosate in our environment,
soil, water and air, many organizations, including
Pro-Organic Belize, are advocating that GOB 1. Educate the public on the consequences of spraying it liberally and being exposed to it. Not only children who play around and on areas that have been sprayed but everyone who breathes the aerial contaminants is jeopardizing his/her health. 2. Ban its use on all public land including schools, playgrounds, forests, hotels, restaurants, food preparation facilities, and animal feed facilities. 3. Ban aerial spraying. 4. Implement a testing program for pesticide residue in our food. 5.
In an accelerated phased
approach ban the importation of glyphosate in all its
formulations, assigning the burden of compliance to
Customs and BAHA |