Germany is planning to completely ban the use of Roundup in the country by the year 2023 due to the weedkiller’s impact on insect populations and its association with cancer risks.
The main chemical ingredient in Roundup is glyphosate, which has been identified as a carcinogen in the recent wave of lawsuits against creator Monsanto and their parent company, Bayer. Glyphosate is already banned (or in the process of being banned) in a number of other countries around the world, including Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Greece, India, the United Kingdom, and Vietnam.
The revelations unveiled in the trials brought on by thousands of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma patients are only one reason for Germany’s ban on glyphosate. In addition to the carcinogenic effects of the chemical in humans, the country is also concerned about how use of the weedkiller may be affecting insects. To put it simply, Germany’s environment minister Svenja Schulze stated, “What harms insects also harms people,” (The Guardian).
The 2023 ban date is based on the expiration of the chemical’s approval period in the European Union (EU). Before that date, Germany plans to slowly remove Roundup from the country and reduce its use nationwide. The policy will begin with a glyphosate ban in public parks and private gardens. Additionally, “Herbicide and insecticide use will also be restricted or banned in more species-rich areas such as grasslands and orchard meadows, and along many river and lake shores.”
Roundup has been linked to cancer diagnoses around the world. There have been several successful cases concerning such claims, resulting in payments amounting to millions of dollars in compensation. Bayer has continually championed their claims of glyphosate’s safety, and rejects the ban in Germany. Thousands of claims related to Roundup’s cancer risk are still in development.
Are you a Roundup user who was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma or another form of cancer? You may be entitled to compensation — call (888) 398-2277 or complete our contact form to schedule a free consultation with the attorneys of Bertram & Graf, L.L.C.