Glyphosate, a chemical that kills weeds, has emerged as a major villain at the ongoing CoP-11. Rights groups and independent research organisations have come up with publications that highlight the untold damage glyphosate causes to man, animals, plants and environment. Glyphosate is used in herbicides (weed killers). To protect commercial and food crops from glyphosate damage, multinational companies have introduced transgenes into them to make them herbicide tolerant. As GM crops became herbicide tolerant, more glyphosate is sprayed to kill the weeds. This is leading to residue build-up, causing damage to human health and environment.
According to Dr Jack A. Heinemann, professor genetics and molecular biology, New Zealand, the residues of glyphosate are found on 80 per cent of edible genetically modified organisms. “It has been found to be highly toxic to human cells, at levels far below agricultural dilutions. This was found to occur on hepatic, embryonic and placental cell lines, and on human placental extracts, primary umbilical cord cells and freshly isolated testicular cells. Glypho-sate formulations induce apoptosis and necrosis in human umbilical, embryonic and placental cells,” he said.
Glyphosate is primarily used as a burndown agent with conventional crops. It is usually applied early in the season before planting or after harvest to purge weeds, or between rows in perennial crops, he said.
Another chemical that is widely debated is methyl bromide, which causes damage to ozone. It is still used as a pesticide in many countries.