Miami City Bans Glyphosate-based Herbicides

Miami City Bans Glyphosate-based Herbicides

Introduction

Miami became the latest to ban herbicides containing glyphosate as an active ingredient in them. Glyphosate is found in weed-killing herbicides like Roundup and researchers have found that the chemical is present in samples of the air, food and even in beer and wine used by the general public.

On Thursday, Miami City Council approved glyphosate ban and prohibited the city and its contractors from using Roundup or any other herbicide that contains the allegedly cancer-causing chemical, glyphosate in them. The resolution was sponsored by Commissioner Ken Russell, who examined the city's herbicide use after blue-green algae bloom, red tide, and fecal contamination was observed in the city. He found that about 4,800 gallons of glyphosate products were used by Miami per year on weeds on the streets and sidewalks. Though the city's public workers had stopped using glyphosate-based products, Russell wanted to officially ban glyphosate in Miami. Stuart, Miami Beach, and several other Florida cities decided to impose their own glyphosate ban. In January 2019, a French court canceled Bayer's license for the controversial weed-killer Roundup Pro 360, after a court ruled that the regulators violated the safety concerns in 2017 while clearing the product for extensive use. Last year in December,  Sonoma City Council imposed restricted use of Roundup in all of the city parks in California and indicated their plan to put a ban on the weedkiller.

The second Roundup trial is currently underway in the U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, where Judge Vince Chhabria overlooks the multidistrict litigation (MDL No. 2741; In re: Roundup Products Liability Litigation) for claims filed by individuals suffering from non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma allegedly due to glyphosate exposure.