Roundup is a controversial herbicide brand that has been on the market since the 1970s. The product was originally manufactured by Monsanto, which was later purchased by Bayer in 2018. It is largely used in the forestry, agriculture, garden, and lawn for week control particularly in field corn, soybeans, hay, and pasture.
Many Monsanto lawsuits have been filed in the US due to the potential cancer-causing active ingredient of glyphosate. Initially discovered in the 1950s, the compound was patented for use as a descaling agent in pipe cleaning. However, later studies found a clear link between the use of herbicide and various health complications.
Table Of Contents
Dangers of Roundup Weed Killer
Glyphosate that is the active ingredient in the herbicide brand Roundup was discovered by a chemist named John E. Franz at Monsanto in 1970. The company patented the herbicide in 1974 and introduced the product in the market in 1976.
The use of the herbicide skyrocketed in the late 1990s. But later studies revealed an alarming link between the product and various health problems including cancer.
Roundup Ingredients
Glyphosate formulations typically include acid forms of sodium salt, monoammonium salt, isopropylamine salt, potassium salt, trimesium salt, and diammonium salt.
Glyphosate is effective in killing weed due to the disruption of the process of production of amino acids. The compound interferes with the enzyme known as EPSP that plays a vital role in the formation of aromatic amino acid. As of September 2019, the sale of Roundup and products containing Glyphosate is not allowed or is limited in about 19 countries.
Countries that Limit or Ban Use/Sale of Roundup
- Austria
- Belgium
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Netherlands
- Spain
- Bahrain
- Kuwait
- Oman
- Qatar
- Saudi Arabia
- UAE
- Thailand
- Vietnam
- Colombia
- St. Vincent and the Grenadines
- Malawi
Roundup Cancer Lawsuits
Various research studies have exposed the dangerous health effects of Roundup. A lot of studies have found that exposure to Roundup results in an increased risk of cancer. The active ingredient present in Roundup can cause damage to the DNA resulting in different health problems.
A report carried out by Greenpeace in 1997 had found that the use of glyphosate-based herbicide resulted in illnesses among farmers.
In 2015, a study carried out by the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) had found strong evidence of genotoxicity on exposure to Roundup. Genotoxicity refers to a chemical’s property to damage DNA cells resulting in cancer. The report had concluded that exposure to the chemical increases the risk of Roundup non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and other types of hematopoietic cancers in mammals.
Studies have also found that exposure to Roundup chemicals results in oxidative stress that leads to the development of many diseases such as Parkinson’s and autism. Apart from oxidative stress and DNA damage, many studies also suggest that exposure to the product results in an impaired gut barrier and inflammation that increases the risk of cancer.
Other studies have found links of various other health anomalies due to exposure to Roundup including birth defects, colitis, celiac diseases, ADHD, kidney disease, inflammatory bowel syndrome, and liver disease.
Meanwhile, in the US, the Environment Protection Agency denies any link between health problems and Roundup exposure. In 1985, the agency had classified the compound as a Group C compound due to increased risk of testes and pancreatic tumors in rats. But after extensive lobbying by Monsanto, the federal agency retracted from its original ruling and concluded that there is no public health risk due to the use of Roundup as herbicide.
EPA did accept the risks to the ecology due to the use of the herbicide and proposed steps to better target its use. But the agency had concluded that there is no risk to the health and that the results are in accordance with the international research findings.
Roundup Class Action Lawsuits
Bayer AG, the German-based company that manufactures Roundup, has faced multiple civil action lawsuits. The company is currently in mediation to settle more than 18,000 lawsuits that claim that the company’s herbicide product resulted in Roundup non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
The symptoms of Hodgkin’s lymphoma appear decades after the first exposure, which indicates the chances of many more cases being filed against the company even when the existing cases are settled.
Plaintiffs accuse Bayer AG as falsely promoting its herbicide product as being safe for people. The company advertises its products as interfering with the enzymatic activities of plants only with no negative effects on humans or pets. The Roundup class action lawsuits allege that the claims of the company that the products are safe for people are misleading, false and deceptive.
Studies have shown that enzyme that is targeted by Roundup ingredient glyphosate is also present in the mammal.
Roundup Settlements
Bayer has up till now lost three trials worth a combined total of $2.424 billion.
- Pilliod et al. v. Monsanto Co. – Jury Verdict: $2.055 Billion
- Johnson v. Monsanto Co. – Jury Verdict: $289.2 Million
- Hardeman v. Monsanto Co. – Jury Verdict: $80 Million
In one of the Roundup settlement cases, the jury was told that if Bayer could afford it, the company must pay it. The large settlement amount will send a clear message across the board of directors, shareholders, and other decision-makers.
Last year in August, a California jury had ordered Bayer AG to pay $289 million to a former groundskeeper who had claimed that exposure to Roundup resulted in cancer. In March 2019, another Californian man was awarded $80 million judgment who had claimed that the product of the German-based pharmaceutical company resulted in non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
In May this year, the jury had awarded $2 billion in punitive damages and $55 million in compensatory damages to a California man. However, due to the US Supreme Court cap on punitive to compensatory damages ratio of 9:1, the punitive damage could be reduced to half a billion dollars.
Bayer AG has filed an appeal to the jury verdict insisting that Roundup is safe for people and non-carcinogenic. With the controversies surrounding the herbicide products, the share price of the company has been on a downward spiral. The lawsuits have been causing great unease among the top leadership.
While Bayer has not publically pulled off the controversial herbicide product from the market, it has invested around $5.6 billion to research an alternative to the glyphosate compound.
If you have suffered non-Hodgkin lymphoma or any other illnesses after exposure to Roundup herbicide, you should file for product liability in a Bayer lawsuit. Contact a professional personal injury attorney to find out more information about a potential lawsuit for product liability.
Roundup Lawsuit FAQ’S
What causes cancer in Roundup?
It has been found in studies that increased exposure to a compound called “glyphosate” increases the risk of non-hodgkin’s lymphoma.
How many Roundup cancer victims are suing Monsanto?
Currently over 40,000 cancer victims are accusing Monsanto’s Roundup weed killer for developing non-hodgkin’s lymphoma. Monsanto negligently withheld information regarding cancer risks and exposure to Roundup.
What is Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma?
Non-hodgkin’s lymphoma is cancer of the lymphatic system which develops by an increases of abnormal lymphocytes (type of white blood cells). The lymphatic system is responsible for removing toxins and waste within the body by infection-fighting white blood cells called lymph.
How do I file a lawsuit against Roundup makers Monsanto?
Filing a claim against Monsanto could end at any time, so if you feel like you have developed non-hodgkin’s lymphoma due to the use of Roundup weed killer contact our lawyers today. We can help gather the correct information and potentially file a lawsuit.
