Roundup, the notorious glyphosate-based herbicide owned by Bayer, continues to come under fire as thousands of lawsuits claim the weed-killer’s active ingredient causes cancer.
The World Health Organization has said that exposure to glyphosate might cause cancer, and glyphosate is listed as “probably carcinogenic to humans” by the American Cancer Society. Another recent study concluded that exposure to glyphosate can raise the risk of a cancer diagnosis by 41 percent.
While Bayer continues to assert that Roundup is safe, one California school district recently voted to ban and remove all glyphosate-based products from school property. The decision comes on the heels of a monumental $2.05 billion verdict for California’s Alva and Alberta Pilliod, a married couple who used Roundup around their residence for about 30 years before both were diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma.
Bayer, which acquired Roundup maker Monsanto for $66 billion in September 2016 and is currently in the thick of more than 11,000 lawsuits regarding the weed-killer, says it will allocate $5.6 billion to research glyphosate alternatives over the next decade.
Understanding the risks of Roundup
A popular weed-killer that’s frequently used by groundskeepers and custodians in New York City and throughout the U.S., glyphosate is one of the most widely-used herbicides in the world. But is it safe?
Studies have shown that regular and consistent exposure to glyphosate-based products such as Roundup might cause cancer. Some of the cancers Roundup has been linked to include:
- Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma
- Skin Lymphoma
- Peripheral T-Cell Lymphoma
- Mantle Cell Lymphoma
- Large B-Cell Lymphoma
- Hairy Cell Leukemia
- Follicular Lymphoma
- Burkitt Lymphoma
Whether you have been exposed to Roundup doing professional groundskeeping or have used it recreationally to maintain a residential property, you may be at risk. Other ways individuals could be exposed to glyphosate include:
- Coming in contact with plants sprayed by the herbicide
- Drinking water contaminated by the chemical
- Eating food grown in soil treated with Roundup
- Breathing in the chemical after it’s been sprayed
While the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) claims there is no risk associated with glyphosate as long as it’s used pursuant to its label instructions, New York City Councilman Ben Kallos has openly stated he thinks the Big Apple should ban the use of glyphosate on all public land and instead opt for biological alternatives that come from naturally occurring substances.
A New York City workers’ comp lawyer can help with your cancer claim
If you’ve been subjected to at least 40 hours of job-related exposure to Roundup in a five-year period and had a two-year latency period between your first job-related exposure and a diagnosis of cancer, you may be entitled to workers' compensation benefits or eligible to file a third-party workplace injury claim.
The trusted New York City workers’ compensation lawyers from the law firm of Pasternack Tilker Ziegler Walsh Stanton & Romano, LLP can answer your questions, study the details of your case, and help you come up with the best plan to get maximum compensation for your damages. Contact the attorneys from our New York City law firm today for a free and confidential consultation.