The active ingredient of Roundup is N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine (shortened to Glyphosate). It is absorbed through the leaves and acts to inhibit the production of an essential plant and bacterial enzyme called enolpyruvylshikimate-phosphate synthase (EPSPS).

Glyphosate is the same active ingredient as is found in “Rodeo� and “Accord� as well as Monsanto’s “Roundup�.

The initial studies of the toxicity of Glyphosphate done by Monsanto at the time the product was released to the market have been ruled to have been fraudulent. In addition New York State’s Attorney General in two lawsuits has successfully challenged Monsanto’s advertising claim that their product is harmless.

There have been very few scientific studies of the toxicity of RoundUp, but strong anecdotal evidence does exist. In humans RoundUp has been linked to central nervous system damage, body swelling in legs, face and abdomen; visual, hearing, taste, and smell disturbances; balance disorder; body-wide muscle twitches and tics; seizure disorder; muscle paralysis; peripheral neuropathy; loss of gross motor skills and loss of fine motor skills.

A child who swam in a canal contaminated with high levels of RoundUp in Florida was paralyzed for five years and suffered severe nerve damage afterwards. (The Progressive, July 1987)

Studies in animals have found that female animals are much more susceptible to the toxicity of RoundUp than males.

In addition in a study on “Vision�, a glyphosate product by Monsanto, revealed that it contained 1,4-dioxane at a level of 350 ppm. (Monroe). 1,4-dioxane is carcinogenic, and is known to damage the liver, kidney, brain, and lungs.

I can see no conceivable reason to justify spraying RoundUp around a yard where humans and animals live, but Monsanto has convinced massive numbers of people around the world to do just that.

In addition Monsanto has now developed genetically modified Soybeans and Canola that can withstand massive amounts of Roundup poisoning and 90 percent of these crops are now grown through this method of extremely toxic agriculture that will result in many known and unknown problems for the environment and human health.