Calling for suspension of all renewals of glyphosate products until PMRA review of new science and evaluation of risks

The document argues that the PMRA's 2017 glyphosate re-evaluation is outdated and flawed, relying heavily on industry-funded studies and US EPA analysis that has since been criticized by US courts. The authors present new evidence linking glyphosate to microbiome disruption, various cancers (including non-Hodgkin's lymphoma), neurodegenerative disorders, and reproductive toxicity. They also highlight environmental risks to pollinators, freshwater ecosystems, and the contribution of phosphorus loading in agricultural landscapes. The coalition demands that the PMRA apply a 'reasonable certainty that no harm will occur' standard before granting any renewals.

• The PMRA's 2017 glyphosate re-evaluation relied on 118 industry documents that were not peer-reviewed or published in academic journals, with 80.5% of these documents dating before 1996.
• Recent research suggests glyphosate-based herbicides can modify gut microbiota during early development, particularly before puberty, at maternal doses of 1.75 mg/kg bw/day. Analysis of the ESPS pathway indicates approximately 54% of the human microbiome may be sensitive to glyphosate.
• The authors cite evidence that glyphosate causes various tumors in mice and rats, including hemangiosarcomas, kidney tumors, and malignant lymphomas in male CD-1 mice, as well as hepatocellular adenomas in male Wistar rats.
• The PMRA's carcinogenicity assessment is criticized for mirroring the US EPA's approach, which the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit vacated in June 2022, finding the EPA's 'not likely' hazard descriptor for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma was not supported by substantial evidence.
• Glyphosate is linked to reproductive and neurological risks, including a correlation between higher urine levels in pregnant women and shortened gestational lengths, as well as potential for neurodegenerative disorders via brain infiltration.
• Environmental concerns include the impact on pollinators, specifically the lack of a toxicity endpoint for milkweed and the resulting threat to the endangered migratory monarch butterfly.
• Glyphosate use contributes to indirect environmental harm by adding phosphorus to agricultural landscapes, with inputs reaching levels exceeding 20kg per square kilometre in areas with glyphosate-resistant crops.

APA

Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (2022). Calling for suspension of all renewals of glyphosate products until PMRA review of new science and evaluation of risks. https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/2022-10-27-Ltr-to-PMRA-re-glyphosate-renewals.pdf#new_tab

Chicago

Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment. Calling for suspension of all renewals of glyphosate products until PMRA review of new science and evaluation of risks. 2022. https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/2022-10-27-Ltr-to-PMRA-re-glyphosate-renewals.pdf#new_tab.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment |title=Calling for suspension of all renewals of glyphosate products until PMRA review of new science and evaluation of risks |date=27 October 2022 |url=https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/2022-10-27-Ltr-to-PMRA-re-glyphosate-renewals.pdf#new_tab |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{canadianassociationofphysiciansfortheenvironment2022calling, author = {{Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment}}, title = {{Calling for suspension of all renewals of glyphosate products until PMRA review of new science and evaluation of risks}}, publisher = {Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment}, year = {2022}, month = oct, url = {https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/2022-10-27-Ltr-to-PMRA-re-glyphosate-renewals.pdf#new_tab}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }