A Fresno judge has ruled in favor of the state in its effort to list a popular herbicide on the database of carcinogens.
Monsanto has sued California over its decision to list glyphosate, the main ingredient of its weed-killer Roundup, as a carcinogen. As a result, property owners would need to notify the public under Proposition 65 of wherever Roundup had been used.
The state argues that the listing is justified, since scientists at the World Health Organization have determined that the chemical is a probable carcinogen. Monsanto and California Citrus Mutual argued that delegating that responsibility to an outside international body is a violation of state law. Fresno County Superior Court Judge Kristi Culver Kapetan disagreed with that argument and issued a tentative ruling today in favor of the state.
Prominent environmental lawyer Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. spoke in a press conference after the hearing.
"This listing is not going to put them out of business, it’s just going to warn people before they use their product, that this product may cause cancer and you’d better limit your use to protect yourself," he said.
A formal ruling on the case is expected in the coming weeks.
