Roundup (herbicide)

Roundup is a brand of herbicide primarily used in agriculture and gardening. It is produced by the American company Monsanto, which is now owned by Bayer. The active ingredient in Roundup is glyphosate, a broad-spectrum systemic herbicide and crop desiccant.

Roundup

History

Roundup was first introduced by Monsanto in 1974. The patent for glyphosate expired in 2000, leading to the production of similar products by other companies.

Usage

Roundup is used to kill weeds, especially annual broadleaf weeds and grasses that compete with crops. It is absorbed through foliage and minimally through roots, meaning that it is only effective on actively growing plants and not effective as a pre-emergence herbicide.

Health and environmental effects

There is ongoing debate about the safety of Roundup, with some studies suggesting potential health risks to humans and negative environmental impacts. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), a branch of the World Health Organization, classified glyphosate as "probably carcinogenic in humans" in 2015. However, other regulatory bodies, including the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), have stated that glyphosate is unlikely to pose a carcinogenic risk to humans.

Legal issues

Monsanto has faced numerous lawsuits over alleged health effects from Roundup. In 2018, a California jury awarded $289 million in damages to a man who alleged that his cancer was caused by exposure to Roundup.

See also

• Glyphosate
• Monsanto
• Herbicide
• Agriculture
• Gardening