The notorious herbicide, Roundup, produced by the agrichemical corporation Monsanto, is used by homeowners and farmers alike for killing pesky weeds and has been criticized around the world for its effects on human and soil health. Now, sale of it is being banned in various parts of the world, including France, according to the independent and investigative news website Anonymous. The reason? The World Health Organization has linked its main ingredient, glyphosate, to cancer, as well as other diseases. The WHO called the ingredient “probably carcinogenic” and that it “sufficiently demonstrated” that it caused cancer in animals.
There have been reports that Monsanto allegedly knew the ingredient was harmful but continued to sell it anyway.
“France must be on the offensive with regards to the banning of pesticides,” Segolene Royal, French environment and energy minister, told Phys.org. “I have asked garden centers to stop putting Monsanto’s Roundup on sale,”
According to Anonymous, Latin American countries are also banning the herbicide.