Glyphosate has been a focus of controversy since a World Health Organization agency concluded in 2015 that it probably causes cancer.
Keystone / Patrick Pleul
A French court has banned the sale of two weedkillers containing glyphosate produced by Swiss chemical group Syngenta.
This content was published on
2 minutes
Reuters/sb
“The decision on September 30, 2020, by French health security agency ANSES to renew the marketing authorisation for the chemical product Touchdown Systeme 4 was annulled,” a ruling by the administrative court of Montpellier in southern France said on Friday.
“The precautionary principle was not respected” due to the lack of a complete evaluation procedure, it said. A separate but similar decision was taken for Syngenta’s Touchdown Foret weedkiller.
Syngenta said the ruling was “disappointing”. Its products had gone through “a rigorous approval process that demonstrated safe use”, it told Reuters, adding that it may appeal.
The weedkillers covered by Friday’s ruling remained authorised pending the terms of a withdrawal procedure, such as a deadline for using the products, Syngenta added.
Glyphosate, first developed by Bayer’s Monsanto unit under the brand Roundup, has been a focus of controversy since a World Health Organization agency concluded in 2015 that it probably causes cancerExternal link.
French President Emmanuel Macron in 2017 pledged to end glyphosate use in France within three years, but his government later said it would consider whether other solutions existed. The EU approval of glyphosate was extended for another year last December.
In 2018 the Swiss government said that it did not consider the widely used product a health risk. Swiss Federal Railways said in 2019 it would stop using the controversial herbicide glyphosate by 2025.
More
More
Stop organic farming to help future food crisis, says Syngenta boss
This content was published on
Syngenta CEO Erik Fyrwald has called for an end to organic farming to avoid a worsening food crisis.
Should raw milk sales be banned or should consumers decide?
Swiss food regulations do not allow raw milk to be sold for direct consumption. However, a loophole allows 400 raw milk vending machines to do just that.
COP29: Swiss NGOs call for strong financial support
This content was published on
Ahead of COP29, Swiss NGOs call for wealthy nations to pay $1,000 billion a year to help other countries solve climate problems.
Real Swiss wages likely to rise in 2025, says UBS bank
This content was published on
Higher wages and falling inflation are likely to boost Swiss purchasing power, which will be dragged back by rising health premiums.
This content was published on
Switzerland has a new tectonic map at a scale of 1:500,000, containing updates to geometry, distribution and nomenclature of the tectonic units.
This content was published on
Swiss artist Daniel Spoerri, known for his artworks using leftover food with dirty cutlery and crockery, has passed away in Vienna at the age of 94.
Climate change tipped to alter Swiss avalanche patterns by 2100
This content was published on
Climate change is expected to result in fewer avalanches overall in Switzerland but to increase the danger of wet snow avalanches by 2100.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Is 100% organic farming a revolution too far?
This content was published on
Organic farming is widely touted as a green and sustainable solution. The experiences of Sri Lanka and Switzerland show the reality is complicated.
American farmers pursue Syngenta over herbicide’s link to Parkinson’s disease
This content was published on
The Swiss-based multinational may have to fork out billions to settle legal cases filed by farmers exposed to paraquat as lawsuits pile up.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.