We should be able to ban Roundup -- which contains glyphosate, a chemical linked to cancer -- unless and until independent research proves it's safe. But Roundup's maker, Monsanto, isn't giving up so easily. Will you donate to help U.S. PIRG keep up our efforts to stand up to Monsanto and protect public health? DONATE:
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Friend,
Entire countries have banned the use of the chemical glyphosate -- the main ingredient in Monsanto's weed killer Roundup -- in large part because of its link to cancer.[1]
Mexico is one of those countries -- but recently-revealed emails show it has faced pressure from Monsanto's owner to drop its glyphosate ban.[2]
While it's clear Monsanto won't stop selling its potentially deadly weed killer on its own, we at U.S. PIRG know special interests' profits should never come before public health -- which is why we're campaigning to ban Roundup in states across the country.
Donate today to help us continue standing up to Monsanto and protecting people from toxic chemicals.
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The World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer has determined glyphosate is "probably carcinogenic."[3]
In 2018, a California jury awarded about $289 million (which a judge reduced to $78 million) to a former school groundskeeper who was diagnosed with terminal non-Hodgkin's lymphoma after using Roundup.[4] And plaintiffs in more than 100,000 other lawsuits also say they were harmed by the chemical.[5]
In response to concerns about Roundup's safety, Monsanto ghostwrote its own research and tried to pass it off as an independent study. After it came to light that Monsanto suppressed evidence that Roundup was dangerous, a jury ruled that the company acted with "malice or oppression" in failing to warn consumers of Roundup's risk.[6]
And now we know Monsanto is taking even more drastic steps to protect its toxic weed killer by pressuring Mexico to abandon the country's glyphosate ban.
Will you donate today to help strengthen U.S. PIRG's campaign to ban Roundup and other glyphosate-based weed killers, unless and until they're proven safe?
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In the U.S., glyphosate can be found everywhere from our farms to our food and even our bodies.[7] It's the most widely used weed killer across the country.[8]
But we can change that. Our national network's campaigns to ban Roundup are picking up momentum, with more and more cities already phasing out or restricting use of the pesticide: from Boulder, Colorado, to Dubuque, Iowa, to Miami, Florida -- and most recently, Baltimore and Philadelphia have joined the list.[9,10]
If we are successful in banning the use of Roundup in enough cities and states, it could help protect the health of millions of people in the U.S. -- and set the stage for larger national action.
This crucial work depends on citizen support. Donate today to help us protect public health and ban Roundup unless and until it's proven safe.
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Thank you,
Faye Park
President
1. Reuters staff, "Mexico to phase out use of herbicide glyphosate," Reuters, August 12, 2020.
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2. Carey Gillam, "Revealed: Monsanto owner and US officials pressured Mexico to drop glyphosate ban," The Guardian, February 16, 2021.
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3. "IARC Monograph on Glyphosate," International Agency for Research on Cancer, March 2015.
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4. Carey Gillam, "I Won a Historic Lawsuit, But May Not Live to Get the Money," TIME, November 21, 2020.
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5. Bill Chappell, "Bayer To Pay More Than $10 Billion To Resolve Cancer Lawsuits Over Weedkiller Roundup," NPR, June 24, 2020.
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6. Carey Gillam, "One man's suffering exposed Monsanto secrets to the world," The Guardian, August 11, 2018.
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7. "Glyphosate pesticide in beer and wine," U.S. PIRG Education Fund, February 2019.
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8. Charles M. Benbrook, "Trends in glyphosate herbicide use in the United States and globally," Environmental Sciences Europe, February 2, 2016.
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9. "Statement: Baltimore City Council passes ban on toxic pesticides," Maryland PIRG, October 5, 2020.
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10. "Statement: Philadelphia bans toxic herbicides," PennPIRG, December 3, 2020.
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Your donation will power our dedicated staff of organizers, policy experts and attorneys who drive all of our campaigns in the public interest, from banning Roundup and moving us beyond plastic, to saving our antibiotics and being your consumer watchdog, to protecting our environment and our democracy. None of our work would be possible without the support of people just like you.
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U.S. PIRG
Main Office: 1543 Wazee St., Suite 460, Denver, CO 80202, (303) 801-0582
Federal Advocacy Office: 600 Pennsylvania Ave. SE, 4th Fl., Washington, DC 20003, (202) 546-9707
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