‘Reliance on science’ may not help retailers win glyphosate-cancer lawsuits, attorneys say

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Credit: Jersey City

Glyphosate, the world’s most widely used herbicide, has dominated headlines over the last year as Monsanto has battled thousands of lawsuits brought by consumers who claim that the chemical causes cancer. Now, other companies in the retail supply chain are beginning to feel pressure as consumer groups and plaintiffs’ lawyers turn their attention to other, less obvious targets after early success against Monsanto….

[T]he plaintiffs’ success in court [suggests] that reliance on science will do little to mitigate the risk and cost of glyphosate litigation for companies in the retail industry.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC)….first classified glyphosate as “probably carcinogenic to humans” in 2015. Two years later, in December 2017, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a risk assessment classifying glyphosate as “not likely to be carcinogenic to humans.” A majority of regulators around the world have since sided with EPA, including multiple European agencies, Australia and New Zealand.

While retail companies may believe that they have science on their side, the [August 2018] verdict [against Monsanto in California] and federal MDL Daubert decision make clear that that argument may not be enough to win in court. Companies will be forced to defend against the narrative crafted by plaintiffs’ lawyers and consumer advocacy groups….who have worked to keep glyphosate in the public eye….

Read full, original article: United States: “Shaky” Science And New Theories Of Glyphosate Liability Pose Significant Risk To Retail Companies

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