Glyphosate, which is sold as Roundup, often makes the headlines as being the demon pesticide and the cause of all sorts of ills.
It is a non-selective contact herbicide, meaning it will kill most plants. Pure glyphosate is low in toxicity but products usually contain other substances that help the glyphosate get into the plants and it is these that can cause irritation of the skin, nose and throat.
In humans, straight glyphosate does not easily pass through our skin. If it is ingested by accident it will pass through the body relatively quickly with little harm. I don’t recommend trying this at home, though — remember those added ingredients.
Studies on animals and humans to see if glyphosate causes cancer have been evaluated by many countries’ regulatory bodies, including the EU as well as the World Health Organisation. They have all stated that glyphosate is unlikely to be carcinogenic.
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There are many more products under your kitchen sink that are much more harmful to you and the environment. Just because they disappear down the plughole does not make them any less of a risk than a pesticide applied to a growing crop.
