New Study Reveals Alarming Levels of Glyphosate in Americans’ Urine

The weed killer ingredient has been linked to a higher risk of cancer

Plants
A new study raises concerns over a controversial substance in weed killer.
Ilnur Kalimullin/Unsplash

If you’ve used a weed killer on your lawn, it’s very likely that the product you used contained glyphosate. Unfortunately, glyphosate has also been linked to a higher risk of developing cancer in a scientific study. Two years ago, Bayer — in the aftermath of its purchase of Monsanto — spent billions of dollars to settle legal claims over glyphosate causing cancer.

There’s still some debate over thi: the EPA’s findings on the substance have taken one approach, while the World Health Organization has raised more of a concern. But glyphosate remains an area of concern for many, for understandable reasons.

All of which makes the results of a new investigation all the more alarming. The Guardian reports that a recent CDC study found glyphosate in the urine of 80% of the adults and children who participated. Out of the 2,310 urine samples from participants, glyphosate could be detected in 1,885 of them. The participants were selected to be representative of the overall population of the United States.

Weed killers aren’t the only widespread substances that contain glyphosate. A 2018 report from The New York Times found that several popular breakfast foods also contained thr substance in question.

The University of Washington’s Lianne Sheppard addressed this recent study’s findings in comments made to The Guardian. “I expect that the realization that most of us have glyphosate in our urine will be disturbing to many people,” Sheppard said — which, for some readers, might be something of an understatement. As for whether or not this leads to any industry-wide changes, however — that remains to be seen.

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