There have been multiple lawsuits against Monsanto asserting that exposure to glyphosate herbicides is carcinogenic and that the company did not adequately disclose the risk to consumers.
[19] In 2015, as part of the ongoing renewal process, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) published a final risk assessment on 12 November 2015 stating that glyphosate met EU-level regulatory standards.
The conclusion of the final EFSA assessment was that the active ingredient glyphosate met EU-level regulatory standards, but individual formulations would have to be evaluated by member states.
[22] During the course of litigation in 2015, the EPA found out that Dow had told the United States Patent and Trademark Office that Enlist Duo offers "synergistic herbicidal weed control", and requested additional clarification about the "synergistic effects" and sought to reverse its approval pending a full review of the new information provided by Dow.
[25][26] Aquatic formulations using the isopropylamine salt of glyphosate include Glypro (also called Rodeo, Aquapro, and Accord Concentrate)[27] and Shore-Klear.
[31][32] Johnson had routinely used two different glyphosate formulations in his work as a groundskeeper, RoundUp and another Monsanto product called Ranger Pro.
[36] After the IARC classified glyphosate as a "probably carcinogenic to humans"[37] in 2015, over 300 federal lawsuits have been filed that were consolidated into a multidistrict litigation called In re: RoundUp Products Liability.
[38] In March 2019, a man was awarded $80 million in a lawsuit claiming Roundup was a substantial factor in his cancer,[39][40] resulting in Costco stores discontinuing sales.
[42] Chhabria stated that a punative award was appropriate because the evidence "easily supported a conclusion that Monsanto was more concerned with tamping down safety inquiries and manipulating public opinion than it was with ensuring its product is safe."
"[42] On 13 May 2019 a jury in California ordered Bayer to pay a couple $2 billion in damages after finding that the company had failed to adequately inform consumers of the possible carcinogenicity of Roundup.
[43] On July 26, 2019, an Alameda County judge cut the settlement to $86.7 million, stating that the judgement by the jury exceeded legal precedent.
[18][48] Independent scientific reviews and regulatory agencies have regularly concluded that glyphosate-based herbicides do not lead to a significant risk for human or environmental health when the product label is properly followed.
[52] Consumption of over 85 mL of concentrated product causes serious symptoms, including burns due to corrosive effects as well as kidney and liver damage.
[46] Aquatic organism exposure risk to terrestrial formulations with POEA may occur due to drift, agricultural runoff[56] or temporary water pockets.
[26] While laboratory studies can show effects of glyphosate formulations on aquatic organisms, similar observations rarely occur in the field when instructions on the herbicide label are followed.
[57] Pure chemical grade glyphosate is slightly toxic to birds and is virtually nontoxic to fish, aquatic invertebrates and honeybees.
However, commercial herbicide formulations consist of combinations of glyphosate salts, adjuvants and surfactants, and are not tested as such prior to regulatory approval.
[67][68] Laboratory animal research reveals potential impacts on reproduction,[63] carcinogenesis[69] and even multigenerational[63] and transgenerational [70] effects, due to epigenetic changes.
[72] Significant glyphosate residues have been detected in multiple crops, including honey,[73] corn, wheat and soy products.
[80] The consensus among national pesticide regulatory agencies and scientific organizations is that labeled uses of glyphosate have demonstrated no evidence of human carcinogenicity.
[citation needed] The final assessment of the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority in 2017 was that "glyphosate does not pose a carcinogenic risk to humans".
In crops and other plants, there is evidence that glyphosate exposure can lead to increased susceptibility to disease, especially fungal root rot, and changes in mineral nutrition.
The results suggest a level of concern is warranted - exposure to environmentally realistic levels of glyphosate based herbicides (10 ug/L to 20 ug/L) have been shown to negatively affect blood parameters of the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis and the clam Ruditapes philippinarum,[99] as well as decreasing reproduction and growth of the estuarine crab Neohelice granulata.
For example a study published in 2021 detected glyphosate in 55% of sampled Florida manatees’ plasma, with blood levels increasing significantly from 2009 until 2019.
[106] Between January and November 2021, the price of glyphosate rose 25 percent due to the effects of the 2021–2022 global supply chain crisis and COVID-19.
In February 2022, Bayer AG announced they would be declaring a force majeure following a mechanical failure and production shutdown at a key supplier.