Austrian parliament backs EU’s ban of glyphosate

According to Reuters, Austria’s lower house of parliament passed a bill on July 2 banning all uses of the weed killer glyphosate, the first time a European Union country has taken such strong action against the chemical over concerns that it can cause cancer.

Other EU countries have passed partial bans of glyphosate, although France has lowered its ambitions on a ban, highlighting its usefulness in agriculture. Glyphosate was developed by Monsanto under the brand Roundup. It is now off-patent and marketed worldwide by dozens of other chemical groups including Dow Agrosciences and Germany’s BASF.

“The scientific evidence of the plant poison’s carcinogenic effect is increasing. It is our responsibility to ban this poison from our environment,” said Pamela Rendi-Wagner, the leader of Austria’s Social Democrats, in a statement.

If the small upper house raises no objection, as appears likely, the bill will become law once it is signed President Alexander Van der Bellen.

Reuters article