European Chemicals Agency concludes glyphosate is not a carcinogen
The European Chemicals Agency’s Committee for Risk Assessment (ECHA RAC) has concluded that the available scientific evidence does not meet the criteria to classify glyphosate as a carcinogen, as a mutagen, or as toxic for reproduction.
The European Chemicals Agency’s Committee for Risk Assessment (ECHA RAC) has concluded that the available scientific evidence does not meet the criteria to classify glyphosate as a carcinogen, as a mutagen, or as toxic for reproduction. However, the agency agreed to maintain the current harmonized classification of glyphosate as a substance causing serious eye damage and being toxic to aquatic life with long-lasting effects.
The RAC assessed glyphosate’s hazardousness against the criteria in the Classification, Labeling, and Packaging Regulation (an international globally harmonized system for classification and labeling of chemicals). To reach that conclusion, the committee considered extensive scientific data.
The RAC’s opinion will be sent to the European Commission. It will be taken into account when the Commission and Member States consider whether to renew the approval to use glyphosate as an active substance in pesticides later this year.
It should be noted that the RAC provides an independent scientific opinion on the hazard classification of the substance. The classification is based solely on the hazardous properties of the substance and does not address the risks of exposure to the substance. The risks posed by exposure are considered, for example, when deciding whether to renew the approval of glyphosate as a pesticide in accordance with the EU’s Plant Protection Product Regulation.