In SA, weedkiller Roundup still sold without cancer warning; in US, Bayer pays out billions

South African unions are fretting that the continued local sale of the controversial herbicide, Roundup, will harm deep rural farm workers the most, just as Bayer this week paid out the dollar equivalent of R187 billion to settle US litigation. The German company, which is pinning its hopes on stemming further claims via a scientific panel consisting of an equal representation of plaintiff and its own experts, has settled, without prejudice or admitting Roundup causes cancer. It is hoping the panel will dismiss claims that the chemical is carcinogenic – something top US scientific bodies currently disagree on. Astonishingly, senior Bayer executives sounded upbeat after its share price rebounded slightly from two years of heavy stagnation, something attributed to strengthened oversight of its legal defence, the appointment of a new agriculture expert to its supervisory board and the launch of a new sustainability strategy. That includes setting aside R172 billion to settle outstanding claims by some 95 000 plaintiffs and potential future claims. In South Africa, where Roundup continues to be sold without a cancer warning label, the Food and Allied Workers Union says farmers generally don't take health and safety of workers seriously, while Groundwork, an NPO, says many farm workers are ignorant of Roundup's hazardous properties, and/or can't read or understand labels. The other concern is the non or incorrect use of protective equipment. – Chris Bateman 

Bayer to pay up to $10.9 billion to settle lawsuits over Roundup weedkiller – Wall Street Journal

By Ruth Bender, Laura Kusisto and Sara Randazzo

Bayer AG said Wednesday it would pay up to $10.9 billion to settle tens of thousands of lawsuits with U.S. plaintiffs alleging the company's Roundup herbicide causes cancer, a milestone in the German company's legal battle that has been weighing down its share price for nearly two years.

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