Glyphosate in the urine of volunteer complainants, according to a study

A study published in Environmental Science and Pollution Research, a scientific journal, was carried out on 6,848 people living in 83 departments of metropolitan France and in Réunion.

These volunteers, recruited via the “Glyphosate Campaign” association which campaigns against this weedkiller classified as “probable carcinogenic” by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) but authorized in Europe, revealed traces of glyphosate in the urine in 99 , 8% of them.

These samples were taken between June 2018 and January 2020, the vast majority under the supervision of a bailiff with a view to legal action, were analyzed as and by a German laboratory, Biocheck.

The authors of this study note that the samples taken in spring and summer, the season for phytosanitary treatments, show “significantly higher levels”.

Farmers, especially “working in a wine-growing environment”, also have “significantly higher” levels.

Levels are also higher in men and younger participants, people who regularly consume tap or spring water, smokers, and drinkers of beer or fruit juice.

On the other hand, people who say they eat “more than 85% organic food” have lower levels.

5,800 complaints filed

However, the authors stress that their sample is not representative of the general population, being older, more feminine and undoubtedly over-representing “citizens aware of the issues of pesticides and a healthy lifestyle”. But for them its size makes the analysis relevant, especially since "our results confirm almost all other international studies", while being "rather in the upper part" of the levels found, notes Denis Lairon, director of emeritus research at INSERM and one of the authors. However, he said he was "surprised to see an almost systematic contamination".

The sampling campaign was accompanied by more than 5,800 individual complaints by the participants on the basis of the positive results, in particular for "endangering the life of others", grouped together at the public health pole of the Paris court, according to “Glyphosate Campaign”.