Glyphosate herbicides are usually made of a glyphosate salt that is combined with other coformulants that are needed to stabilize the formula and allow penetration into plants.
Background
Monsanto's glyphosate-based herbicide Roundup was first developed in the 1970s. Between 1985 and 1996, Monsanto reduced the price of Roundup by 50%. Between 1990 and 1996 sales of Roundup have increased by around 20% per year.[1] As of 2015 it is used in over 160 countries.[2] Roundup is used most heavily on corn, soy and cotton crops that have been genetically modified to withstand the chemical, but in 2012 glyphosate was used in California to treat other crops like almond, peach, cantaloupe, onion, cherry, sweet corn and citrus.[2]
Monsanto is the largest producer of glyphosate-based herbicides, but formulations from other manufacturers are available that use different inert ingredients.[3] Other glyphosate-based formulations include Bronco, Glifonox, KleenUp, Ranger Pro, Rodeo, Roundup, and Weedoff.[4][5]
Inert ingredients
Surfactants, solvents and preservatives are inert ingredients that are commonly added to glyphosate-based herbicide formulations.[6] Polyethoxylated tallow amine (POEA) is a surfactant added to Roundup and other herbicides that helps the glyphosate penetrate the plant surface.[3] Some surfactants that are added to herbicide formulations may increase glyphosate's toxicity.[7]
Regulation
In the European Union the active ingredient, glyphosate, is approved at the supranational EU level and is governed by Regulation No 1107/2009. Specific glyphosate-based formulations, like Roundup, are regulated at the Member State level. There are about 30 different glyphosate-based formulations used in Estonia.[5]
As part of the process to renew glyphosate's license under EU regulations, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) published a final risk assessment on 12 November 2015 stating that glyphosate met EU-level regulatory standards. Despite classifying glyphosate as non-carcinogenic, this report also acknowledged that some of the co-formulants added to glyphosate based pesticides "appeared to have toxic effects higher than the glyphosate itself", noting POEA in particular. The conclusion of the final EFSA assessment was that glyphosate met EU-level regulatory standards, but individual formulations would have to be evaluated by member states.[8]
References
- ^ "Top-selling herbicide not close to withering". Wall Street Journal. 1996-01-08. Retrieved 2018-08-12.
- ^ a b "What Do We Really Know About Roundup Weed Killer?". National Geographic News. 2015-04-23. Retrieved 2018-08-13.
- ^ a b News, Crystal Gammon, Environmental Health. "Weed-Whacking Herbicide Proves Deadly to Human Cells". Scientific American. Retrieved 2018-08-12.
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has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Vaida, Bara. "Does This Common Pesticide Cause Cancer?". WebMD. Retrieved 2018-08-13.
- ^ a b Sihtmäe, M.; Blinova, I.; Künnis-Beres, K.; Kanarbik, L.; Heinlaan, M.; Kahru, A. (2013-10-01). "Ecotoxicological effects of different glyphosate formulations". Applied Soil Ecology. 72: 215–224. doi:10.1016/j.apsoil.2013.07.005. ISSN 0929-1393. Retrieved 2018-08-13.
- ^ News, Crystal Gammon, Environmental Health. "Weed-Whacking Herbicide Proves Deadly to Human Cells". Scientific American. Retrieved 2018-08-12.
{{cite web}}
:|last=
has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Gupta, Ramesh C.; Gupta, Ramesh Chandra (2012-03-29). Veterinary Toxicology: Basic and Clinical Principles. Academic Press. p. 843. ISBN 978-0-12-385926-6.
- ^ Bozzini, Emanuela (2017-03-23). Pesticide Policy and Politics in the European Union: Regulatory Assessment, Implementation and Enforcement. Springer. pp. 85–86. ISBN 978-3-319-52736-9.