What is glyphosate? Glyphosate is registered for use on more than 100 crops and is one of the most widely used herbicides in the world.

Who uses glyphosate?

Glyphosate (Roundup^®) is used by large- and small-scale farmers as well as homeowners and horticulturists for the control of weeds. Glyphosate is widely used prior to planting of crops in order for farmers to plant in a clean seed bed. It can also be used post-planting before crop emergence, as well as post emergence on Roundup Ready^® crops. These applications are possible because glyphosate residues in soil, shortly after applications at the recommended rates, do not affect crop growth because of the combination of the soil-binding capacity, product immobility and rapid degradation which are typical for glyphosate and quite unique when compared to other commercial herbicides.

Where is it used?

It is used in agriculture and forestry, on lawns and in gardens and to control weeds in urban and industrial areas.

Worldwide, the active ingredient, glyphosate, forms the cornerstone of weed management programmes on many farms where it provides flexibility to achieve efficient weed control. Roundup^® also allows for easier adoption of conservation and no-till practices, both agricultural systems which are known to make substantial contributions towards sustainability in agriculture. Glyphosate (Roundup^®) is registered for use on more than 100 crops world wide.

Is it safe?

There is an overwhelming weight of scientific evidence that underscores the safety and performance of glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup^® herbicide. Based on in-depth review of the comprehensive datasets available, regulatory agencies around the world have concluded that glyphosate is not a reproductive toxin or teratogen (cause of birth defects). There is also no evidence that glyphosate causes cancer, even at high doses. Because it is not genotoxic, it does not cause mutations that can lead to cancer. 

Additionally, anecdotal results from first-hand experience of millions of farmers and home gardeners who have used this product for decades indicate safe proper use. Studies have shown that glyphosate, when applied according to the instructions on the label^*, is not harmful to soil insects, earthworms or microscopic soil organisms. 

Roundup^® (glyphosate) is effective in the control of grasses and herbaceous weeds. It is absorbed into the plant through its leaves and soft stalk tissue before being transported throughout the plant to the roots, nodules and bulbs. Glyphosate’s unique action in plants involves the inhibiting of a single enzyme only found in plants. Therefore, glyphosate only controls plants and not microorganisms or animals and insects.

As glyphosate is systemic, plants treated with glyphosate will slowly die over a period of days or weeks, and no part of the plant should survive. Glyphosate is rapidly inactivated when it comes into contact with soil since it is adsorbed onto soil particles and thus cannot be taken up by the roots.  

As glyphosate is approved for the control of unwanted vegetation in aquatic environments, including sources used for drinking water, it is expected that glyphosate might occasionally be detected in surface water. However, it has not been included among herbicides that cause concern in water supplies, since glyphosate can readily be removed from water by conventional drinking water treatment methods (which include sand filtration and chlorination).

Because glyphosate binds tightly to most soils, it has low potential to move through soil to contaminate groundwater (USA EPA 1993).

Glyphosate residues in water resulting from wash-off from terrestrial applications of the herbicide, are typically seasonal and dissipate over time. In sediment, glyphosate is degraded over time by microorganisms.