Glyphosate: Cancer Risk at EU Safe Levels Revealed

Recent comprehensive animal studies and tests on human cells have raised serious concerns regarding glyphosate, the most widely used weedkiller globally. A significant study published in Environmental Health found that glyphosate and its based herbicides (GBHs) increased the incidence of multiple tumors in rats, including leukemia and cancers of the liver and nervous system. Alarmingly, these tumor occurrences were noted at exposure levels corresponding to the European Union's Acceptable Daily Intake (EU ADI) of 0.5 mg per kg of body weight. The study also indicated early onset of rare malignant cancers and early mortality in treated rats.

Further investigation into glyphosate's genotoxicity revealed DNA damage in human intestinal cells. The EU-funded SPRINT project demonstrated that glyphosate raised micronuclei—markers of damaged chromosomes—at all tested concentrations, even at levels at or below EU safety limits. This marks the first report of glyphosate damaging human epithelial cells at such low concentrations. These emerging studies, alongside existing evidence linking high glyphosate exposure to a significantly increased risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, underscore the urgent need for policy re-evaluation.

Despite these findings, regulatory bodies have been hesitant. The European Chemicals Agency's risk committee reviewed new data but again declined to classify glyphosate as a carcinogen in September 2026. In the US, the Supreme Court's ruling in Monsanto v. Durnell in June 2026 has placed the onus on the EPA to conduct a formal review. Meanwhile, the European Union renewed glyphosate's approval in 2023 for ten years, a decision now under scrutiny due to the new evidence. India has limited its use to licensed operators, though illegal use persists, posing risks to farmers.