Glyphosate: Between Agricultural Productivity and Public Health Concern

Farmworkers face some of the highest occupational exposures to glyphosate and other agricultural herbicides.

By Dr. Alberto Augsten, Toxicologist and Psychopharmacologist

Glyphosate is the most widely used herbicide in the world. Marketed since 1974 — most famously as Roundup — it is sprayed on crops, parks, school grounds, golf courses, and home gardens across the United States and Latin America. It is also one of the most controversial chemicals in modern toxicology.

What the Science Says

In 2015, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), part of the World Health Organization, classified glyphosate as "probably carcinogenic to humans" (Group 2A), based on evidence linking it to non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The U.S. EPA has taken a different position, concluding that glyphosate is not likely to be carcinogenic at typical exposure levels. This regulatory disagreement has fueled thousands of lawsuits and intense public debate.

What is less debated is that glyphosate residues are found in:

Oats, wheat, and other grain-based foods

Legumes and pulses

Drinking water in agricultural regions

Urine samples of the general population (detectable in ~80% of Americans tested)

Glyphosate also affects the gut microbiome by inhibiting the shikimate pathway used by many beneficial bacteria, with emerging research suggesting impacts on metabolic and immune health.

Occupational and Bystander Risk

Agricultural workers, landscapers, and home users who mix or apply glyphosate face the highest exposures. Acute symptoms can include skin and eye irritation, nausea, vomiting, and respiratory irritation. Chronic exposure has been associated with increased risk of certain lymphomas.

Latino farmworker communities in California's Central Valley, Florida, and across the South face disproportionate exposure due to occupation, housing proximity to fields, and inadequate protective equipment.

How to Reduce Your Exposure

Choose organic versions of oats, wheat, and legumes when possible — these are grown without glyphosate.

Wash and peel fruits and vegetables; residues are typically highest on the surface.

Follow integrated pest management at home: hand-weeding, mulching, and boiling water for driveway cracks instead of herbicide sprays.

If you must apply herbicides, wear gloves, long sleeves, eye protection, and a respirator; do not apply on windy days; and keep children and pets away until the treated area is fully dry.

Support pesticide-free zones at schools and parks in your community.

The Toxicology Perspective

The glyphosate debate illustrates how regulatory science, industry influence, and public health intersect — often imperfectly. While the absolute cancer risk for a typical consumer is likely small, the cumulative population exposure is enormous, and vulnerable groups (children, pregnant women, farmworkers) deserve the precautionary principle. Reducing reliance on a single chemical and diversifying weed-management strategies is the wiser long-term path.

For questions about pesticide exposure or symptoms, contact your regional Poison Control Center at 1-800-222-1222.