Widespread use of the popular herbicide Roundup, which contains the known carcinogen glyphosate, is at the center of a series of lawsuits in Hawaiʻi and across the country.
New information is coming to light from studies linking the chemical to serious health problems that include cancer, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, infertility and birth defects.
We can help.
Lawsuits against Roundup manufacturer Bayer AG and its Monsanto subsidiary have been brought by farmers and homeowners who claim they developed serious health problems after using the product and being exposed to glyphosate. The widespread use of glyphosate has raised concern over its potential impact on humans and the environment. The chemical is now commonly detected in food and water – as well as in human urine.
Glyphosate is one of the most widely used herbicides in the world. It is used to kill weeds and unwanted vegetation in agriculture, forestry and landscaping.
Agribusiness and Exposure Risk
In Hawaii, Roundup has been extensively used in agriculture, particularly in the cultivation of genetically modified crops such as corn and soybeans.
According to plaintiffs in the lawsuits, the use of Roundup led to significant exposure to glyphosate for farmers, farmworkers and residents living near agricultural areas. This exposure has led to an increased risk of cancer and other serious health problems.
Galiher DeRobertis & Waxman represents dozens of Hawai’i plaintiffs who have filed lawsuits against Monsanto alleging that exposure to glyphosate as well as polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs, caused their non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
Monsanto and Bayer AG have denied the allegations and claim that the herbicide is safe when used according to the label instructions.
Glyphosate’s Pervasive Reach
A government study has found glyphosate in more than 80% of urine samples from U.S. children and adults. As part of a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention program, the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey found glyphosate in 1,885 of 2,310 urine samples. Nearly a third of the samples came from kids ranging in age from 6 to 18.
“Glyphosate is the most widely used herbicide in the country, yet until now we had very little data on exposure,” said Alexis Temkin, a toxicologist at the Environmental Working Group. “Children in the U.S. are regularly exposed to this cancer-causing weedkiller through the food they eat virtually every day.”
A new study published in the medical journal Environmental Health Perspectives found associations between Roundup and long-term health consequences in children. The study suggests a link between exposure to the weedkiller and severe liver damage.
Other studies have found traces of glyphosate in a variety of food, including baby formula, as well as in organic beer and wine and in hummus and chickpeas.
As the legal battles continue, the use of Roundup and glyphosate in agriculture remains a contentious issue in Hawaii and around the world. Many are calling for stricter regulation of these chemicals, while others argue that they are necessary for modern agriculture.
Bayer previously said that it would replace glyphosate in Roundup for residential use beginning in 2023, but that products containing glyphosate would still be available for professional and farm use. However, Roundup which contains glyphosate was not recalled and remains on the shelves of many hardware stores around the country.
How We Help Victims of Pesticide Exposure
With a wealth of experience prosecuting herbicide and pesticide exposure cases, our Hawaiʻi pesticides lawyers have battled corporate giants on behalf of individuals like you for over 40 years, aggressively fighting to hold them responsible for failing to keep workers safe. If you have suffered catastrophic injury or cancer caused by Monsanto’s Roundup weedkiller or other harmful chemicals, we can help.
