ECHA and EFSA Commence Renewal Assessment Reviews for Glyphosate
On June 15, 2021, the Assessment Group on Glyphosate (AGG) submitted a draft Renewal Assessment Report on glyphosate to the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). In this blog post, we consider the AGG’s report and take a closer look at glyphosate.
About Glyphosate
Glyphosate is an organophosphorus chemical compound that possesses strong herbicidal properties. Its ability to inhibit the shikimic acid metabolic pathway, by targeting the enzyme, 5-enolpyruvylshikimate 3-phosphate synthases, is key to glyphosate’s herbicidal function and effectiveness. This prevents plants from synthesizing several key aromatic amino acids necessary for growth and survival.
Glyphosate
| IUPAC Name | N-(Phosphonomethyl)glycine |
|---|---|
| Chemical Formula | C3H8NO5P |
| CAS Registry Number | 1071-83-6 |
With its discovery in 1950, and with the subsequent realization of its herbicidal properties, glyphosate has seen significant use over the past five decades. During this time, it has become the most widely used herbicidal chemical in the United States and the world. Over 1.6 billion kilograms of the chemical have been used in this country. This represents approximately 19% of glyphosate’s use worldwide (8.6 billion kilograms).
Debate on the health effects of glyphosate has existed for quite some time, but the controversy surrounding it has intensified in the last decade. The World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer declared glyphosate to be a probable carcinogen in 2015. This was followed, in 2017, by California’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment listing glyphosate in its Proposition 65 list as a chemical known to cause cancer.
AGG and its Draft Report
In 2019, the European Commission (EC) appointed several Member States to work together for the assessment of glyphosate. Representation in the Assessment Group on Glyphosate (AGG) included France, Hungary, the Netherlands, and Sweden.
The findings of the AGG’s draft report are in the process of being reviewed by the ECHA and EFSA. Consultations on the report are being planned and will be made available to the public starting in early September. Ultimately the European Commission will develop a proposal regarding approval for renewal of glyphosate.
Accessing More Information
More information on the AGG’s draft report and its review may be found on the ECHA website. Additionally, you can visit the ToxPlanet website and blog regularly for relevant information on new developments.
Designed to help manage the impact of chemicals in the workplace and on the environment, ToxPlanet, delivers one-stop access to an abundance of essential content covering areas including human health effects, animal toxicity studies, metabolism/pharmacokinetics, environmental fate and exposure, standards and regulations, chemical/physical properties, chemical safety and handling, manufacturing/use information, and more.
ToxPlanet offers an abundance of authoritative content on glyphosate, as well as on a myriad of other chemical substances. Be sure to contact us and register for a Free Trial to learn how our robust suite of solutions can help address your chemical hazard information needs.
