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Monsanto in the dock? possible mass tort civil action against glyphosate

Sunday, October 25th 2015 - 10:16 UTC
Full article 6 comments
The lawsuit in several US states accuses Monsanto of long knowing that the main ingredient in Roundup, glyphosate, was hazardous to human health. The lawsuit in several US states accuses Monsanto of long knowing that the main ingredient in Roundup, glyphosate, was hazardous to human health.
Monsanto “led a prolonged campaign of misinformation to convince government agencies, farmers and the general population that Roundup was safe” Monsanto “led a prolonged campaign of misinformation to convince government agencies, farmers and the general population that Roundup was safe”
Litigation follows the World Health Organization’s declaration that there was sufficient evidence to classify glyphosate as “probably carcinogenic to humans.” Litigation follows the World Health Organization’s declaration that there was sufficient evidence to classify glyphosate as “probably carcinogenic to humans.”

Personal injury law firms around the United States are lining up plaintiffs for what they say could be “mass tort” civil actions against agrochemical giant Monsanto that claim the company’s Roundup herbicide has caused cancer in farm workers and others exposed to the chemical.

 The latest lawsuit was filed in Delaware Superior Court by three law firms representing three plaintiffs.

The lawsuit is similar to others filed last month in New York and California accusing Monsanto of long knowing that the main ingredient in Roundup, glyphosate, was hazardous to human health. Monsanto “led a prolonged campaign of misinformation to convince government agencies, farmers and the general population that Roundup was safe,” the lawsuit states.

The litigation follows the World Health Organization’s declaration in March that there was sufficient evidence to classify glyphosate as “probably carcinogenic to humans.”

“We can prove that Monsanto knew about the dangers of glyphosate,” said Michael McDivitt, whose Colorado-based law firm is putting together cases for 50 individuals. “There are a lot of studies showing glyphosate causes these cancers.”

The firm held town hall gatherings in August in Kansas, Missouri, Iowa and Nebraska seeking clients.

Monsanto said the WHO classification is wrong and that glyphosate is among the safest pesticides on the planet.

“Glyphosate is not a carcinogen,” company spokeswoman Charla Lord said in an emailed statement. “The most extensive worldwide human health databases ever compiled on an agricultural product contradict the claims in the suits.”

Roundup is used by farmers, homeowners and others around the globe and brought Monsanto US$4.8 billion in revenue in its fiscal 2015. But questions about Roundup’s safety have dogged the company for years.

Top Comments

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  • Briton

    No doubt it will creep over here, sooner or later.

    Oct 25th, 2015 - 07:48 pm 0
  • Hepatia

    Classic. In an article about a US lawsuit Mercopenguin uses a photo of a product in a 5 “litre” container with a label promising some sort of 3 “pound” rebate. No doubt the reporter found this particular product in the stores of Montevideo - but most definitely not in 'Port Stanley' which many of you more skeptical readers might think.

    This sort of mistake is just plain incompetence The British tax payer deserves a lot better from their propaganda organizations!

    Oct 26th, 2015 - 04:43 am 0
  • ChrisR

    @ 2 Whatever you call yourself, you are still mentally defective.

    You haven't mentioned 25 years on this one.

    Are you slipping into a coma? Let's hope so.

    Oct 26th, 2015 - 01:00 pm 0
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