Is Roundup Weed Killer Safe?

The Scotts Company, which manufactures Roundup, states on its product label that this product is safe when used as directed. However, "safe" is a relative term; health problems have occurred due to overexposure to the chemicals in Roundup.

Product Label

• The label of Roundup Original weed killer, dated 2002, states that the product can harm desirable plants if you accidentally spray it on them. It lists first aid measures that you should take if the product accidentally gets in the eyes, the lungs or the stomach. It includes cautions regarding use around animals, environmental hazards and the danger of mixing it with other chemicals.

Human Health Threats

• In 1999, the American Cancer Society reported that those who have frequent, prolonged exposure to Roundup are 2.7 times more likely to develop non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Researchers in Finland found in 2000 that it can damage the liver and intestinal enzymes.

Warning

• Roundup is not safe for human consumption. Nine people who drank Roundup in Japan between 1984 and 1965 died, according to nonprofit organization Beyond Pesticides. The harmful ingredient was an inert surfactant known as POEA, which comprises 15 percent of the product and is added to help it to stick to plants.