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A 46-year-old American who sprayed Roundup for more than two years and is suffering from end-stage cancer has filed a complaint against Monsanto, the producer of the weed killer. The trial debates start on Monday in San Francisco, California.
Is Roundup Carcinogenic? Has Monsanto deliberately hidden the dangerousness of its glyphosate weed killer? These are the questions that an American court will have to examine from Monday, seized by an individual with a terminal cancer.
If hundreds or even thousands of procedures are under way in the United States against agrochemical giant, the complaint of 46-year-old American Dewayne Johnson, who sprayed Roundup for more than two years, is the first on this product and its possible carcinogenic effects to a trial.
The trial officially opened in mid-June with the appointment of a judge but the substantive debates are scheduled to begin only Monday, after a series of technical hearings. It is scheduled to last at least three weeks in San Francisco, West.
Incurable cancer due to "continuous exposure to Roundup"
Sold for more than 40 years, Roundup, one of the most the most widely used herbicides in the world, contains glyphosate, a very controversial substance that is the subject of conflicting scientific studies as to its carcinogenic nature. Monsanto, who faces millions of dollars in damages alone, has consistently rebutted any connection between cancer and glyphosate.
Dewayne Johnson "fights for life" after being diagnosed two years ago, an incurable non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, explains one of his lawyers David Dickens, from Miller's law firm, specializing in the defense of individuals claiming to be victims of defective products.
"This is not the fault of chance " it is not due to a problem " genetic "" it is because of its continuous exposure to Roundup and Ranger Pro " (similar product of Monsanto), which he sprays between 2012 and 2014 on school grounds in the city of Benicia, California (West), badures Me Dickens.
"And that could have been avoided " still badists the lawyer, acc using Monsanto, which has just been bought by German Bayer, for knowingly concealing the dangerousness of its products from the public
A huge blow to the pesticide industry?
] Johnson's lawyers have not yet set the amounts they intend to claim but evoke a "multi-million dollar judgment" . But the game will not be easy for Dewayne Johnson, whose lawyers will have to prove a link between his illness, which causes him numerous skin lesions on the body, and the spreading of glyphosate.
The question is « did Mr. Johnson's exposure to glyphosate cause his cancer? […] This did not cause her cancer " says Sandra Edwards, of Farrella's law firm, Braun and Martel, one of Monsanto's lawyers.
During this trial, " you will see a lot of data and science " also notes, pointing out that there was " studies that followed for years and years from people who used these products " without concluding that they caused cancer.
"Legally, it is extremely difficult to make a company responsible for specific cases of cancer or other diseases related to pesticides" recognizes Linda Wells of the anti-pesticide NGO "Pesticide Action Network North America" . But "if Mr. Johnson wins this case, it will be a huge blow to the entire pesticide industry." adds Mrs. Wells.
France commits to cease the use of glyphosate within three years
The record is all the more complex as there are many contradictory studies and decisions on glyphosate.
Unlike the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ), California has put glyphosate on the list of carcinogens. And in that State, every manufacturer who is aware of the carcinogenicity of a certain or suspected carcinogen must compulsorily display it on the packaging.
Glyphosate is also clbadified "probable carcinogen" since 2015 by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, a body of the WHO, unlike the European agencies, Efsa (food safety) and Echa (chemicals)
Glyphosate is particularly controversial in Europe. Following the decision of the European Union in November to renew the license for the herbicide for five years, the French government has committed to stop using this substance for the main uses within three years.
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