Just ban glyphosate immediately

Glyphosate has been described as a "toxicity multiplier" because its impact on health can increase when it binds to other chemicals. About four years ago, a survey of products used on crops in Malta by the National Statistics Office showed that half of all glyphosate imported for agriculture was applied by potato farmers. The rest was used in fields where vines, vegetables and fruit were grown. The European Union, which under its regulatory system must assess all agrichemicals for safety to humans, animals and the environment every 10 years, first gave permission for the use of glyphosate in Europe in 2002.The herbicide can be freely bought from any local garden centre in Malta. But glyphosate has been linked to kidney failure and a range of other health problems. The international agency for cancer research under the World Health Organisation highlighted glyphosate as a probable cause of cancer some two years ago. Tests on animals have shown links to cancer and that it may be carcinogenic in humans. Pressure to ban glyphosate has been on the increase since 2013. Against this worrying background, the Ministry for the Environment announced last summer that it had started the...

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