A peer review assessing the risks glyphosate might pose to humans, animals, and the environment by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) is due next month.
The EFSA’s final conclusions of the scientific assessments carried out are expected to be made available to the European Commission and member states in July 2023.
Glyphosate is one of the most widely used active substances in pesticides to prevent unwanted plant growth or to kill plants, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) said.
The current approval for glyphosate will expire in December 2023, according to the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue.
The EU process, including the peer review and an evaluation of relevant scientific data, considering whether or not to renew the approval is ongoing, Minister McConalogue said.
Glyphosate
Over 360 responses were received to a public consultation by the EFSA, as well as 2,400 comments from member state experts which must be scrutinised, the agency said.
Following this process, the minister said, the European Commission will draft a regulatory proposal for consideration at the EU Standing Committee dealing with pesticides legislation.
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) will finalise its position on glyphosate taking into account the EFSA’s and ECHA’s scientific opinions and conclusions.
Research recently published by the University of Galway found that one quarter of families that took part in a study were to have low levels of exposure to glyphosate.
Urine samples from 226 people in 68 families, 14 of which were from a farming background, were tested to investigate the background level of exposure to the herbicide.
Researchers also found that maximum exposures to glyphosate are low compared to the current acceptable daily intake set by the EFSA without presenting an appreciable health risk.