Even as the debate surrounding glyphosate continues across the country and here in Ohio, the Environmental Protection Agency recently approved a new product that could end up being just as bad, if not worse. Bayer, the company currently involved in numerous cases of Roundup litigation, sold the new herbicide to BASF when it purchased Monsanto back in 2018. The problem is that the new product may also cause cancer and can travel some distance through the air.
Farmers growing corn and soybeans applaud the approval of the EPA for isoxaflutole, the new herbicide since many crops have become resistant to other weed killers, including glyphosate, which is the primary ingredient in Roundup. Farmers lobbied with the EPA for this new product, saying it is necessary in order to stop the spread of “super weeds” that appear to be resistant to any other product at this point. The agency created to protect the public from potentially harmful chemicals listened.
Some people wonder why only farmers were able to weigh in on the efficacy and necessity of isoxaflutole. Ordinarily, the public is allowed to comment on all potential approvals, such as this one, but that did not appear to happen in this case. Ohio residents may not realize that it is approved for use in areas of the state.
Would it surprise people to know that the EPA admits the new herbicide is a possible human carcinogen, which means it can inhibit a liver enzyme and cause cancer in humans? It can also cause harm to local plant life other than the broad-leafed plants it is designed to kill. As the use of this toxic chemical rises, the instances of people suffering health issues may rise as well, and lawsuits similar to the Roundup litigation could become just as common.
