The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) is to assess the findings of a report by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) which concludes that the herbicide glyphosate is probably carcinogenic to humans.
The report, which was published this week, will be considered as part of EFSA’s on-going peer review of the re-evaluation of glyphosate. The re-evaluation was carried out by the BfR, the German risk assessment body.
EFSA’s finalised conclusion will be sent to the European Commission and published later this year.
The IARC, the cancer agency of the World Health Organization, published a summary of its findings in March 2015, concluding that there was evidence of an association between exposure to glyphosate and development of cancers such as non-Hodgkin lymphoma and lung cancer.
Peer review in the EU
In the EU, active substances used in plant protection products are evaluated or re-evaluated using a phased approach.
First, an initial draft risk assessment report is produced by a designated rapporteur Member State (RMS). In the case of glyphosate the RMS is Germany. The report is peer-reviewed by EFSA, which sends its conclusion to the European Commission. The Commission then decides whether or not to include the substance in the EU’s list of approved active substances. Find out more here .
Source: www.agprofessional.com