A group seeking to have the use of glyphosate reviewed by the Environmental Protection Authority has had its request turned down on the grounds that it failed to present the authority with any new evidence confirming the crop treatment’s toxicity.
The Environmental Law Initiative (ELI) applied earlier this year, asking that the EPA determine if there were grounds for reassessing glyphosate and glyphosate-containing substances, and cited “significant new information” about its negative effects.
But EPA general manager hazardous substances and new organisms Dr Chris Hill said the application was based on what was essentially a literature review rather than a specific piece of research evidence citing increased risk with glyphosate.
While the EPA agreed the information presented was “new”, it failed to meet the “significant” criteria.
The group claimed substances containing glyphosate and a co-product are more toxic than glyphosate itself, and real-world data on glyphosate is lacking.
But the EPA maintained the information provided by the group was not significant because it did not change the EPA’s existing assessment of risk to human health or the environment.
Nor did the EPA find the evidence reliable, with it sitting at the low end of the reliability score it employs for assessment.
Extensive research from other international regulatory bodies was also noted by EPA staff, including data from Europe, Australia, Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom. They found, based on these comprehensive reviews, that nothing had changed since the EPA’s last review in 2015.
Hill acknowledged glyphosate has drawn considerable activity around its use in recent years.
“Similarly in NZ it has proven to be quite polarising. In 2021 we put out a call for information on peoples’ views on glyphosate use and got 465 responses, which is a lot for us.
“They ranged from people who thought it should be banned to support on grounds it allows for no-till agriculture.”
He said the EPA’s latest decision does not necessarily put any debate to rest for good.
“We will review any new research on glyphosate that shows a change in the risks and is relevant to the New Zealand context.”
He said groundwater studies by the Institute of Environmental Science and Research (ESR) done every four years had confirmed in 2018 that only one out of 135 water samples contained glyphosate, and this was at a low level.
“This is the sort of work we keep our eye on.
“Right now, regulators across the world have conducted rigorous reviews of glyphosate and all have come up with the same outcome. It is safe as long as it is used according to the label.”
Nor was glyphosate the only chemical that commands regulatory attention.
“We are always scanning across the world for chemicals and their safety and glyphosate is just one on our list.”
The EPA has a number of chemicals under review, including pyrethroids found in the likes of fly sprays, along with aquatic weed herbicides.
