New research from the US that found the herbicide glyphosate in 80% of urine samples tested, has been labelled “frightening” by Senator Victor Boyhan, who has called for action.

Research which was carried out by US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (DCD), collected a total of 2,310 samples from children and adults, 1,885 of which “had detectable amounts of glyphosate” present.

Commenting on the discovery, Senator Victor Boyhan, a member of the Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine, said the research findings are “frightening and deeply concerning”.

He added that it is not just those engaged in farming that are in danger of glyphosate exposure, it is now affecting the wider community through food and water supplies, which is having an effect on human health.

Boyhan has called for an “urgent, global response” given the potential impact that this herbicide could have on humans and the environment. He said:

“Pesticides found in human urine results are a real danger to our public health, our ever fragile environment and our food chain.

“I understand that children’s diets are the main way they are potentially exposed to the glyphosate chemical and the fact that glyphosate has been found in their urine samples needs to be examined and explained.”

Glyphosate status in EU

Glyphosate is currently approved for use in the EU until December 15, 2022, however an application to renew this approval is currently being reviewed by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA).

A decision on the re-registration of the herbicide is expected in July 2023 due to delays caused by the receipt of large volumes of information from the Glyphosate Renewal Group and the public.

The carcinogenicity, genotoxicity, reproductive and developmental toxicity as well as the environmental classification were discussed at a recent meeting of the ECHA’s risk assessment committee in May.

The committee is due to publish it’s opinions and details of the meeting at the end of this month.