Shocking Report: Latest Roundup Formula 45X More Toxic!

After acquiring Monsanto and facing numerous lawsuits, Bayer pledged to phase out the cancer-associated chemical glyphosate from its consumer Roundup products by 2023. However, a recent report by Friends of the Earth released on Tuesday indicates that the new formula is significantly more harmful.

The environmental advocacy group discovered that several home-use Roundup products still contain glyphosate. Those without it include a new mix of chemicals that is 45 times more toxic to humans after prolonged exposure.

“Bayer had a chance to improve safety with its new Roundup formulas, yet it chose to do the exact opposite,” stated Kendra Klein, Friends of the Earth’s deputy director of science. “The company’s decision to prioritize profits over public health under the guise of the trusted Roundup name is appalling.”

“Essentially, the new Roundup is not an improvement—it’s actually worse.”

Originally developed by Monsanto five decades ago, Roundup and its key ingredient, glyphosate, have been linked by thousands to Non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies glyphosate as “probably carcinogenic to humans.” This chemical is so prevalent that it was detected in 80% of urine samples tested in the U.S.

“The impact of Roundup on human lives is devastating—countless individuals have suffered or died due to this hazardous weed killer,” Klein commented.

Amidst mounting legal and public pressure, Bayer announced in 2021 that it would eliminate glyphosate from its residential Roundup products in the U.S. by 2023.

Friends of the Earth evaluated Roundup offerings at Lowe’s and Home Depot, the largest home improvement retailers in the U.S., from June to October 2024, to see if Bayer kept its word.

Their findings showed that seven Roundup options still contained glyphosate, while the eight glyphosate-free products contained new chemicals that raise significant concerns.

Bayer has substituted glyphosate with four chemicals: fluazifop-P-butyl, triclopyr, diquat dibromide, and imazapic— the latter two being banned in the European Union. According to the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) analysis, these chemicals are on average more harmful than glyphosate after long-term exposure, linked to kidney and liver issues, reproductive and developmental harm, and potential allergic reactions affecting the eyes, skin, and respiratory system.

Among these, diquat dibromide stands out as being 200 times more toxic than glyphosate and is categorized as a “highly hazardous pesticide.”

These new ingredients also pose a higher environmental risk. They more frequently endanger bees, birds, earthworms, fish, and other aquatic species. Additionally, they are less likely to degrade in the environment, increasing the risk of contaminating groundwater and polluting rivers and drinking supplies.

“To put it plainly, the revamped Roundup is a step back rather than an improvement,” concluded the Friends of the Earth in their report.

The organization also condemned Bayer for not warning consumers about the change in ingredients and criticized lax federal regulations that do not require pesticide manufacturers to notify consumers about such changes. While active ingredients must be listed on pesticide labels, the typical buyer may not recognize the relative toxicity of these substances. Regular Roundup users might also assume that the toxicity level remains consistent across products under the same brand.

“It’s unthinkable that the EPA allows this deceptive switch, similar to substituting aspirin with much stronger substances like oxycontin or fentanyl in medications, without adequate warnings,” said Sarah Starman, a senior campaigner at Friends of the Earth. “It’s unethical for Bayer to expose consumers to significantly higher risks without any alerts.”

Friends of the Earth urged Bayer to develop safer chemicals and discontinue toxic brands like Roundup. At minimum, they recommended marketing the new formulas under a different brand and clearly communicating the health and environmental hazards to consumers.

The group also argued that home and garden retailers should either stop selling all Roundup products or at least provide explicit warnings about the new risks, phase out harmful pesticides, and offer safer, organic alternatives.

Lastly, they called for the EPA to strengthen its regulations by requiring specific safety warnings for ingredients on pesticide labels, insisting that new formulas be marketed under new brands, and banning chemicals harmful to human health and the environment from consumer products.

“Companies like Bayer cannot be trusted to safeguard our health,” Starman noted. “We need substantial reforms at the EPA to ensure the agency fulfills its duty to protect us and the environment from toxic pesticides.”