The European Commission has officially renewed the registration of glyphosate at the European level. But it’s left much of the actual decision making to individual member states.
Desiccation is outlawed, and use within 60 days of harvest is not allowed on agricultural crops. (Safe Food Matters has been in court with Health Canada over this issue for years.)
Risks and assessments left to individual states include:
- the coformulants (other ingredients) contained in GLY products
- exposure of consumers from foods grown in fields where GLY was sprayed the year prior
- protection of groundwater and surface water
- risks to small animals
- indirect effects on biodiversity
- application by people who aren’t professionals
- use in public areas
In some cases, the Commission said it wasn’t sure of the risks. It didn’t have good data on small animals, or methods to determine indirect effects on biodiversity, for example.
But it went ahead and approved the pesticide anyways. Various organizations are expected to sue over the approval.
Most countries abstained from the vote for or against the renewal, so we don’t yet know how glyphosate will be used in these countries.
Or whether it will even be used at all.
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