Class action proposed over alleged carcinogenic herbicide

TORONTO — Lawyers for a group of Canadians who blame their own or their loved ones’ cancer on exposure to a herbicide have filed a series of proposed class-action lawsuits against the product’s manufacturer.

The untested statements of claim filed in Ontario, Alberta and BC allege that Monsanto, and its new owner Bayer, acted with reckless disregard for the safety of Canadians by selling Roundup.

An arm of the World Health Organization has classified the active ingredient in Roundup, glyphosate, as a probable cause of cancer, but Health Canada has stood firm on its decision to allow its sale.

The lawsuits have yet to be certified as class actions.

In similar suits filed internationally, Bayer and Monsanto have argued that the herbicide is safe.

Neither Bayer nor Health Canada immediately responded to a request for comment.