A number of outlets reported last week on a French study finding that Roundup, a top-selling herbicide (weed-killer) in U.S., made by Monsanto, and the most widely-used herbicide in the world, has been linked to infertility. The research, which appeared in the journal Toxicol in Vitro last December, looked at the effects of Roundup and its active ingredient, glyphosate, on cells taken from the testicles of laboratory rats.
The researchers found that even in a lower concentration of Roundup/glyphosate – 1 part per million – they saw a testosterone decrease of 35 percent. They concluded in the abstract to the study that “the pesticide has thus an endocrine [hormone] impact at very low environmental doses, but only a high contamination appears to provoke an acute rat testicular toxicity.” That's worth reconsidering spraying your yard with a chemical that has the potential for dramatically hindering a man's fertility.
In August 2011, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) announced that two new USGS studies found glyphosate/Roundup to be common in the Mississippi River watershed. “In these studies, Glyphosate was frequently detected in surface waters, rain and air in areas where it is heavily used in the basin. The consistent occurrence of glyphosate in streams and air indicates its transport from its point of use into the broader environment,” reported a press release announcing the new studies. The chemical was found because commercial growers and farmers also use glyphosate, which washes into many of the country's water sources. The research was done as part of the USGS’s National Water-Quality Assessment Program.
Are you worried about environmental toxins now? What precautions have you taken, if any? Have you switched to eco-friendly pest and weed removal, or cleaning products?
