Organisations of Portugal’s ‘Transgenics Out’ platform have registered their concern after a declaration from the International Cancer Agency that points to the possibility of the herbicide 'glyphosate'* causing cancer.
"The World Health Organisation, through the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), had stated that glyphosate, along with other organophosphate pesticides, is likely to cause cancer in humans” based on epidemiological studies, animal studies, and in vitro studies.
This classification means that "there is sufficient evidence that glyphosate causes cancer in laboratory animals and that there are also direct evidence to the same effect in humans, though more limited," highlights the platform.
Portugal’s environmental and agriculture organisations argue that even though the decisions and opinions of the IARC are not binding, it is up to governments and international bodies to take measures to protect citizens.
'This year, glyphosate is undergoing a revaluation process in the European Union, it must have the courage to ban their use before the consequences get worse," warns the platform.
The situation in Portugal "is particularly serious” as in 2012 alone, 1,400 tons glyphosate were applied for agricultural purposes, an amount which is more than double that recorded ten years prior.
Glyphosate sold in Portugal by Monsanto under the brand name 'Roundup' also is sold freely for domestic use in supermarkets, plant nurseries and other stores and is used "in abundance" by almost all Portugal’s councils for weed control on verges, one of the most obvious ways the population is exposed to the chemical, according to IARC.
Last year, the Transgenics Out platform challenged municipalities to join the "Local Authorities No Glyphosate" initiative but so far only eight freguesias and four councils have made this commitment.
One of the impacts identified by the IARC was the link between glyphosate exposure and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, a type of blood cancer. Portugal has a mortality rate "well above the average of the European Union” being in seventh place for deaths from this disease.
Nationally, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is the ninth most common cancer, with 1,700 new cases per year, according to figures cited by the ‘Transgenics Out’ platform.
The platform member are:
• AGROBIO, Associação Portuguesa de Agricultura Biológica
• CAMPO ABERTO, Associação de Defesa do Ambiente
• CNA, Confederação Nacional da Agricultura
• CPADA, Confederação Portuguesa de Associações de Defesa do Ambiente
• GAIA, Grupo de Acção e Intervenção Ambiental
• GEOTA, Grupo de Estudos de Ordenamento do Território e Ambiente
• Associação IN LOCO, Desenvolvimento e Cidadania
• LPN, Liga para a Protecção da Natureza
• MPI, Movimento Pró-Informação para a Cidadania e Ambiente
• NDMALO-GE, Núcleo de Defesa do Meio Ambiente de Lordelo do Ouro - Grupo Ecológico
• QUERCUS, Associação Nacional de Conservação da Natureza
* Glyphosate (N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine) is a broad-spectrum systemic herbicide and an organophosphorus compound, specifically a phosphonate.
It is used to kill weeds, especially annual broadleaf weeds and grasses that compete with crops. It was discovered to be an herbicide by Monsanto chemist John E. Franz in 1970.
Monsanto brought it to market in 1974 under the trade name Roundup, and Monsanto's last commercially relevant United States patent expired in 2000.
