Glyphosate Herbicides Not Classified As Carcinogen By EU Agency

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The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) decided Wednesday to maintain the current harmonized classification of glyphosate weed-killer as a substance causing serious eye damage and being toxic to aquatic life with long-lasting effects, however it concluded that the available scientific evidence did not meet the criteria to classify glyphosate as a carcinogen, as a mutagen or as toxic for reproduction.

The ECHA concluded that the scientific evidence available at the moment warrants the following classifications for glyphosate according to the CLP Regulation:

  • Eye Damage 1; H318 (Causes serious eye damage)
  • Aquatic Chronic 2; H411 (Toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects)

In addition, ECHA concluded that the available scientific evidence did not meet the criteria in the CLP Regulation to classify glyphosate for specific target organ toxicity, or as a carcinogen, as a mutagen or for reproductive toxicity.

The hazard classes for which classification was proposed by the German competent authority were specific target organ toxicity (repeated exposure) (category 2), eye damage/irritation (category 1), and toxicity to the aquatic environment (Aquatic Chronic 2). ECHA also assessed other hazard classes including carcinogenicity, germ cell mutagenicity and reproductive toxicity.

The adopted opinion will go through a normal editorial check before it is sent to the European Commission.

Apart from the published studies on glyphosate, ECHA also had full access to the original reports of studies conducted by industry. ECHA said it has assessed all the scientific data, including any scientifically relevant information received during the public consultation in summer 2016.

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