Millions of fines against Monsanto will be significantly reduced

Millions of fines against Monsanto will be significantly reduced

SAN FRANCISCO. The $ 1 million fine imposed on US seed manufacturer Monsanto for cancer risks badociated with its herbicide needs to be drastically reduced.

American Dewayne Johnson suffers from terminal lymphoma and makes Monsanto herbicides responsible. Image: AFP

A San Francisco judge said Monday that the damages for a cancer patient, charged to the daughter of the German chemical company Bayer, should be reduced by 289 million dollars (251.44 million euros) to 78 million dollars (67.86 million euros). However, Monsanto's request for a new trial was dismissed by the judge. A San Francisco jury sentenced Monsanto in August to a fine of $ 289 million (251 million euros). Glyphosate herbicides, such as Roundup and RangerPro, have contributed "significantly" to Dewayne Johnson's cancer, it was argued. Monsanto had not warned of the danger of herbicides.

The former janitor is terminally ill and is suffering from cancer of the lymph nodes. He blames Monsanto herbicides with which he worked for a long time. Bayer's seed producer announced an immediate appeal against his conviction.

The $ 289 million in damages in August consisted of two parts: $ 39 million for Johnson's financial damages and health, and $ 250 million for a deterrent.

This $ 250 million will now be reduced to $ 39 million, said Judge Suzanne Bolanos. Johnson can accept it until December 7. Otherwise, the damage should be determined in a new process.

Johnson's lawyers said that they should now consider the way forward. They welcomed, however, the fact that the judge had upheld the judgment as such.

At the center of the process was the question of whether the chemical glyphosate contained in Roundup and RangerPro herbicides had a carcinogenic effect. Monsanto, which belongs to the Bayer group since June, denies such an effect of its product. In research, this question is controversial.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as well as EU and German regulators, have concluded that there is no cancer risk from the herbicide. In contrast, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), part of the World Health Organization (WHO), said three years ago that glyphosate was "probably carcinogenic to humans". ;man".

Within the EU, after two years of heated debate, product approval has been extended for five years to the end of 2017. In Germany, the use of glyphosate should be significantly reduced.

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