Bayer
The plaintiffs in these cases primarily fall into two groups: those who allege Roundup exposure caused their cancer, and farms who claim Roundup contamination has damaged their property. The settlement includes roughly $9 billion fund for cancer victims and another $1.25 billion for farmers as well as another $820 million meant to settle claims relating to public water contamination.
More than 130,000 lawsuits have been filed against Bayer and Monsanto, manufacturer of Roundup, purchased by Bayer in 2018. Of those suits, several have already gone to court or been settled, meaning they won't be included in the recent agreement. In the past, Bayer has paid out $2 billion to a couple in California, $80 million to a man in Florida, and $250 million to a Missouri peach farmer.
Studies on the health effects of glyphosate, the active ingredient of Roundup weedkiller, have seen mixed results. However, some allege that results showing that glyphosate isn't dangerous to humans have been influenced by industry members.
The Environmental Protection Agency (E.P.A.), for instance, says that Roundup is completely safe for humans so long as it is used in accordance with the label. This E.P.A. report has drawn widespread criticism including in the form of lawsuits against the agency.
Contrast the E.P.A.'s judgement with that of the World Health Organization, whose International Agency for Research on Cancer found that glyphosate is "probably carcinogenic to humans". The claims of more than 100,000 plaintiffs who allege that Roundup caused their cancer would seem to support the W.H.O.'s findings.
The agreement is pending approval by Judge Vince Chhabria of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.
