Health, Safety and Environment - International Labour Organization

Manual 5:PESTICIDES AND HEALTH,SAFETY & THE ENVIRONMENTGlyphosate (continued) The commonly-used chemical component of glyphosate products, POEA, is two to three timesmore toxic than glyphosate. POEA and glyphosate appear to have synergistic effects, with thetoxicity of the product much greater than that of each ingredient Effects of exposure to glyphosate formulations include skin and eye irritation, respiratoryproblems, effects on the heart, altered blood pressure, and gastro-intestinal problems Toxicity studies of glyphosate have shown the following effects: diarrhoea, increasedblood glucose, red nasal discharge, pancreatic lesions, salivary gland lesions, growthretardation, and changes in the relative weights of organs Eye and skin irritation, cardiac depression, gastro-intestinal pain vomiting and accumulationof excess fluid in the lungs are symptoms of glyphosate poisoning. Glyphosate and formulatedproducts can be slightly to severely irritating to eyes and skinChronic toxicity Lifetime studies on animals have shown excess growth and death of liver cells, cataractsand eye lens degeneration. Studies have shown various reproductive effects in males: lowered libido, ejaculatevolume and sperm count, with an increase in abnormal or dead sperm. Other studies have shown effects on mother and offspring: lengthened reproductivecycle, decrease in number of viable foetuses, reduced birth weight, increased number ofmiscarriages; and reduced ossification of the breast bone.There is still considerable controversy over the cancer-causing (carcinogenic) potential ofglyphosate. The conclusion generally reached by regulators is that glyphosate, andglyphosate-containing products, are not carcinogenic to humans. However, a Swedish studypublished in 1999 maintains that exposure to glyphosate can increase the risk ofcontracting non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a form of cancer.228 Health, Safety and EnvironmentA Series of Trade Union EducationManuals for Agricultural Workers