Herbicide Manufacturer Settles Glyphosate Suits for $10B

The maker of Roundup has announced a settlement to pay over $10 billion to resolve approximately 95,000 claims linking the herbicide to cases of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a form of cancer.

In a statement on June 24, the manufacturer agreed to settle the thousands of cases while continuing to sell the product without any additional warning on the label. The settlement also puts aside $1.25 billion for potential future claims for those who may yet develop non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

Glyphosate Embroiled in Controversy

The active ingredient, glyphosate, has been the center of the dispute, with some health experts claiming long-term use may increase the user’s risk of cancer.

In June 2019, a California jury awarded a married couple more than $2 billion after lawyers successfully argued they were diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma after years of using Roundup. However, a California judge has since ruled the damages award is too high and now says the amount will likely be closer to $250 million.

EPA has done its own research on glyphosate. The Federal agency recently released a Proposed Interim Registration Review for glyphosate and found “no risk to public health when glyphosate is used in accordance with its current label and that glyphosate is not a carcinogen.”

While some dispute this finding, it is consistent with a 2017 EPA risk assessment for glyphosate and an Agricultural Health Study released last year.

Roundup is one of the most widely used herbicides in the world. Although early suites were brought forth by groundskeepers and homeowners, farmers make up the vast majority of Roundup’s sales. Farmers and agricultural associations argue the product is safe and more effective than alternatives when used correctly.

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Tags: environmental enforcement, FIFRA, glyphosate, herbicide, roundup