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 The 86-page report, seen by Reuters and published on Friday on the
regulations.gov website that the EPA manages, was from the EPA's
cancer assessment review committee (CARC). It found that glyphosate,
the active ingredient in the world's mostly widely used weedkiller,
was "not likely to be carcinogenic to humans."
The EPA took down the report and other documents on Monday
afternoon, saying it did so "because our assessment is not final,"
in an emailed statement to Reuters. The agency said the documents
were "preliminary" and that they were published "inadvertently."
But a covering memo that was part of the documents seen by Reuters
described the report as the committee's "final Cancer Assessment
Document." "FINAL" was printed on each page of the report, which was
dated Oct. 1, 2015.
The EPA declined to comment on whether the report, or the 13 other
documents that were also published and subsequently taken down on
Monday, indicate whether the agency ultimately will conclude that
glyphosate is not carcinogenic.
Glyphosate has been the subject of controversy over whether it is
cancer-causing. Last year, the World Health Organization's cancer
arm, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, classified
glyphosate as "probably carcinogenic to humans."
Other government authorities have issued a variety of opinions on
glyphosate. The European Food Safety Authority last November said
glyphosate was "unlikely to pose a carcinogenic hazard to humans."
MONSANTO: REPORT "CLEARLY LABELED"
Monsanto Co, whose Roundup herbicide line uses glyphosate as a key
active ingredient, responded to the EPA's document, saying in a
statement on Monday that the agency had issued an "official
classification" that glyphosate was not likely to be carcinogenic.
Monsanto said the document was "clearly labeled and signed as the
final report of EPA's Cancer Assessment Review Committee," in an
email to Reuters on Monday after the documents had been removed.
The EPA said its documents are part of its broader registration
review, which began in 2009, of glyphosate and its potential human
health and environmental risks.
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"EPA has not completed our cancer review," the EPA told Reuters in a
statement. "We will look at the work of other governments as well as
work by (the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services')
Agricultural Health Study as we move to make a decision on
glyphosate."
The EPA said its assessment will be peer reviewed and completed by
the end of 2016.
A reporter with Bloomberg BNA, a subsidiary of Bloomberg, had posted
a link to the documents on Twitter on Monday morning. The EPA
documents, while available, sparked strong reactions from critics of
the world's most widely used weed killer.
"All they're doing is reviewing studies that are funded by the
industry," said Jennifer Sass, a senior scientist at Natural
Resources Defense Council, an environmental and public health
advocacy group.
In addition to the cancer assessment report, the documents that the
EPA removed included summaries of three 2015 meetings between EPA
officials and Monsanto; preliminary ecological risk assessments of
glyphosate on milkweed, which is key to the health of monarch
butterflies; a report discussing possible label amendments to two of
Monsanto's Roundup products when used on oilseeds, fruit and other
crops; and a six-slide Monsanto presentation to the EPA officials.
(Reporting by P.J. Huffstutter; Editing by Jo Winterbottom and
Leslie Adler)
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