How RoundUp Weed Killer Ends Up in Your Drinking Water
Two recent studies commissioned by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) and performed by San Francisco-based Anresco Laboratories found glyphosate, the active ingredient in Monsanto's Roundup weed killer, in every sample of popular oat-based cereal and other oat-based food marketed to children. These results contradict the claims by the two manufacturers of the cereal, General Mills and Quaker Oats, who say that their products meet the legal standards of how much weed killer is allowed in the grains. Yes, you heard that right: THE LEGAL AMOUNT OF WEED KILLER ALLOWED IN CHILDREN'S BREAKFAST CEREALS.
Interestingly, nearly all of the tested samples had glyphosate residues at levels higher than what EWG scientists consider protective of children's health with an adequate margin of safety. Given these findings, avoiding GMO foods, such as soybeans that have been chemically altered to be "RoundUp Ready," may discourage excessive RoundUp usage. Eating a diet of organic food has the added benefit of dramatically reducing your chance of cancer.
The tests detected glyphosate in all 28 samples of products made with conventionally grown oats. All but two of the 28 samples had levels of glyphosate above EWG’s health benchmark of 160 parts per billion (ppb).
Glyphosate, the most widely used herbicide in the world, is classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer as "probably carcinogenic" to people.
Glyphosate, a mineral chelator and crop desiccant, is classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC)and the World Health Organization as "probably carcinogenic" to people. This position has been steadfastly defended despite ongoing attacks by Monsanto. However, in a groundbreaking case against Monsanto (and parent company Bayer), a jury ruled that glyphosate did cause the terminal cancer of a California man who was a groundskeeper for a school district near San Francisco. His case of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, which has left lesions on 80% of his body, is the first case that holds Monsanto liable for the disease because of their product.
In 2017, glyphosate was also listed by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment as a chemical known to the state to cause cancer.
Just because something is legal doesn't mean it's safe. Federal government standards for pesticides in food (and water) are often outdated and not based on the best and most current science. The EPA's standards for pesticides and other chemicals are also heavily influenced by lobbying from industry.
Is Glyphosate in our water?
Studies regularly find that the legal limits on contaminants in food, air, drinking water, and consumer products fall short of fully protecting public health, particularly for children and other people more sensitive to the effects of toxic chemicals.
Currently, there is no set level of how much of this cancer-causing toxin is allowed in our drinking water. Worse yet, most water suppliers do not even test for the toxin when performing their mandated glyphosate testing methods. Because it is unregulated, we could not determine who is affected by glyphosate in their water.
It is safe to say that you are more likely to be affected by glyphosate (and other herbicides and pesticides) in your water if you live near agricultural areas or if your water travels over a long distance to get to your home. To use California as an example, most of the water in California travels over long distances through agricultural areas in an exposed aqueduct, which makes it very susceptible to toxic contamination.
How to Minimize Glyphosate Exposure
The health effects of an endocrine disruptor like glyphosate can vary. Still, toxicology reports suggest that pesticides like Round Up may pose higher risks to the kidneys and liver and other health problems, specifically gut health and nutrient levels. Exposure to this potential carcinogen may have a profound effect on your microbiome due to its effects on the shikimate pathway, an enzyme pathway present in our gut bacteria. This can, in turn, affect your thyroid, disrupt your immune system, and interfere with the synthesis of aromatic amino acids, leading to shortages in critical neurotransmitters. Additionally, it can cause deficiencies in essential minerals such as manganese and iron which can lead to dementia and anemia symptoms.
With all this in mind, if you believe you have been exposed to glyphosate, the good news is the majority of glyphosate will pass through your body relatively quickly. Keeping your liver and kidneys healthy will allow for the natural detoxification of your bloodstream. Some steps to ensure organ health include consuming foods with large amounts of probiotics and antioxidants, such as yogurt, cheeses, blueberries, strawberries, or dark chocolate. Make sure to get plenty of exercise and consider vitamin and amino acid supplementation. As always, consult your doctor before starting a new exercise or supplement routine.
Most importantly, you can avoid glyphosate exposure in the first place by being cautious about the ingredients in any weedkiller you use and by drinking glyphosate-free water. But how can you prevent future drinking water contamination?
Do water filters remove Glyphosate (or other herbicides and pesticides)?
Most standard water filters are not designed to remove Glyphosates, herbicides, and pesticides. Because the EPA does not regulate several of these contaminants, many filters do not bother with the ability to target the toxic chemicals.
At Clearly Filtered, we have always found it very important to ensure that we provide the safest and cleanest water possible, so we always look to improve the capabilities of our filters. According to the lab that tests our filters, we were the first water filter certified to target glyphosate in water, and the results show that our filters remove 99.9% of the toxin.
Not only is glyphosate targeted, but over 50+ other pesticides and herbicides are also filtered from your water. As news comes out and knowledge of the effects of toxins is understood, we will always look to test for harmful chemicals to ensure that our customers are safe when drinking their water.
Get Glyphosate out of your water with our filter!
Remove up to 99.9% of Pesticides and Herbicides (Including glyphosate) with any of the Clearly Filtered water filter systems. Our filters have been tested and certified by 3rd party EPA-accredited laboratories to ensure glyphosate removal at the rates we claim. We also want to give you peace of mind, which is why we publish all of our lab test data on our website so you can see it for yourself.
Wondering how to filter Glyphosate from drinking water? Or maybe one of the other 365 contaminants as well? You have come to the right place! Clearly Filtered water filters are the best water filter option to filter Glyphosate.
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