Photo Credit: Dimitry B.

Friends of the Earth International tested the urine samples of 182 Europeans from 18 countries and found herbicide glyphosate, commonly known as Roundup, in 44% of samples.  This is one of the first reports detailing the extent to which humans are exposed to glyphosate in their everyday lives.  Because the samples were taken from individuals living in cities, rather than rural areas where Roundup spraying is common, diet is the main source of exposure to glyphosate in this study.  Unfortunately, this rate is likely to increase in the future.  The limited use of genetically modified crops in Europe has already accelerated the use of glyphosates, and a study by Greenpeace shows that increased use of GMO’s could increase the use of Roundup by eight-fold.