It is the active ingredient in the popular weed killer Roundup and other similar products.
This article explains what glyphosate is, how it is used, and where it is found.
What Is Glyphosate?
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Glyphosate is a non-selective herbicide.
Glyphosate is also a crop dessicant.
This makes harvesting more efficient, particularly for grain crops like wheat, barley, or oats.
How Glyphosate Works
Glyphosate is also classified as a systemic herbicide.
The absorption occurs mainly through the leaves of the plant rather than the roots.
Because of this, it is more effective in killing leafy weeds, like crabgrass or dandelion.
When sprayed onto individual weeds, the effects of the herbicide remain relatively localized.
The mechanical drying of grain crops speeds the process, reducing glyphosate to trace levels.
When used for crop applications, glyphosate is unlikely to get into groundwater because it binds tightly to soil.
What Products Contain Glyphosate?
Glyphosate is used worldwide, where it is sold in liquid, concentrate, and solid forms.
For its part, the EPA conducted extensive investigations into glyphosate since its introduction in 1974.
The same was not seen in rats.
Even so, the agency concluded that the evidence was “limited.”
According to the EPA, these residues pose no known risk.
Currently, the ADI for glyphosate is 0.5 milligrams per kilogram of body weight per day (mg/kg/day).
Legality
Glyphosate herbicides are legal in the United States and most other countries around the world.
A few countries have either banned it completely or set out specific restrictions regarding its use.
Among them:
Currently, glyphosate is not banned in any U.S. state.
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Oklahoma State University.Herbicide how-to: maximizing glyphosate activity.
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Government Printing Office.40 CFR 180.364 - Glyphosate; tolerances for residues.
Radio France Internationale.Glyphosate: where is it banned or resricted?
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