Glyphosate 2023–2033

Glyphosate is probably the best herbicide ever, making it the most widely used worldwide. In Europe, a permit to use glyphosate till 2033 was granted in December 2023, notwithstanding controversies about its effect on environmental health. Evidence is piling up demonstrating the toxic effects of glyphosate at every level of the animal kingdom, from the unicellular micro-organisms up to the top of the hierarchical chain, including humans. The mechanism of the toxicity for plants is well known, and gradually, the biological targets, structures and molecules causing the toxicity in creatures other than plants become visible. The discussion focused on the carcinogenic character of glyphosate, in particular after the declaration of IARC in 2015 that glyphosate was “probably carcinogenic to humans”, i.e. class 2A according to their classification rules. In recent years, it became evident that carcinogenicity is possibly not the main toxic phenomenon but the effect at the level of the enteric microbiome, also in humans, and the link to neuronal diseases such as Parkinson's is gaining importance. Taken together, glyphosate is not an innocent molecule that chemical companies want us to believe. A steady, gradual, time-limited and well-controlled ban on glyphosate is deemed necessary, even with a reluctant, conservative interpretation of the precautionary principle.

This book is about all this. Much attention is paid to the toxicity with both biological and medical data as backing information. The book leads the reader through 10 chapters from the fundamental molecular properties of glyphosate to considerations about the different toxic elements, such as carcinogenicity, neurological diseases, enteric microbiome problems, etc. Most chapters consist of two parts: the first is a common, low-scientific explanation and interpretation of the subject. Part 2 is a full scientific discussion that includes the appropriate peer-reviewed references and requires basic knowledge of the item. The controversies on human health are discussed in detail, particularly on the methodology applied by the decision-making bodies on whether or not the use of glyphosate should continue. The effect of a ban on agriculture, economics and human well-being needs careful consideration.

The subject cannot be treated in depth without some ethical and philosophical reflections beyond glyphosate or pesticides, including historical examples of other molecules from which lessons need to be drawn, as is supposed to happen. We have witnessed the debacle of asbestos, the devastating effects of smoking cigarettes, the appearance and disappearance of DDT, the problem of bisphenols, etc. The question is whether we are witnessing a similar or comparable situation nowadays with glyphosate.