Monsanto has been
fined $289m (£226m) after a jury in the USA backed a groundsman's claim that
Roundup weedkiller contributed to his terminal cancer.
Former school
groundsman Dewayne Johnson secured the massive pay-out after the state court
jury in San Francisco, Califiornia, found the company had failed to adequately
warn of the risks of using Roundup.
Mr Johnson’s lawyers
said he sprayed Roundup and a similar product, Ranger Pro, in large quantities
as a pest control manager at a San Francisco Bay Area school district. He
developed a rash and was 42 when he was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
in 2014.
Monsanto’s lawyer,
George Lombardi, has argued that non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma takes years to develop,
so Johnson’s cancer must have started before he worked for the district. The
company has denied ties between glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup, and
cancer.
Monsanto is planning
to appeal and said scientific studies and two government agencies had concluded
that Roundup does not cause cancer.
“We will appeal this
decision and continue to vigorously defend this product, which has a 40-year
history of safe use and continues to be a vital, effective, and safe tool for
farmers and others,” said a spokesman.
Following the court's decision, the Amenity Forum has sought to reassure the UK industry about the use of glysophate.
It says that
managing weeds in amenity situations is a vital task – it impacts on every UK
citizen every day providing safe and healthy environments.
"It really
keeps Britain moving," said a spokesman. "As we move forward in this
continually changing world, the need for decisions to be based upon proper
evidence and science has never been so important.
"Chemicals used
for amenity management are more rigorously tested than many household products.
Not only are amenity chemicals thoroughly tested and approved but they are
continually monitored.
"In the case of
the active glyphosate, it has only recently undergone a thorough review in
Europe and been re-approved for use in amenity situations as a safe chemical.
This review, conducted by the Expert committee of scientists in Europe and
approved by vote of member states, took into account some concerns expressed
about the active possibly having carcinogenic effects. Based on all the science
and evidence available, it was concluded that these were unfounded and it was
safe to use.
"In that
context, the Forum is very surprised to hear the outcome of the recent
judgement in the USA relating to glyphosate in the product Round Up. We
understand that an appeal is to be made by the manufacturer and so it is
inappropriate to comment further on this.
"The Forum
seeks to work with everyone across the important sector of amenity promoting
best practice in all aspects of weed management, chemical and non chemical. We
support an integrated approach making best use of all tools available to ensure
a safe and healthy environment fit for purpose whether it be streets and
pavements, parks, railways, sports grounds and indeed all amenity spaces.
"Glyphosate has
proved to be a very important and essential element in such management
programmes as an approved, regulated and fully authorised chemical."
