The Roundup Debate: Is the Weed Killer Still Safe for Use in Your Yard?

It's spring and that means it's time to control weeds in your yard. Are you spraying weeds with Roundup? Are you asking yourself isn't that the stuff that causes cancer? Obviously Roundup is still on the shelves in Washington state even though research suggests Glyphosate is carcinogenic.

SO WHY CAN I STILL BUY THE WEED KILLER? 

The US hasn't fully banned the sale of products that contain the chemical Glyphosate.
The parent company Bayer was pushed to take action by lawsuits and in 2023 it stopped selling the residential weed killer containing Glyphosate. So is it still safe to use at your home? Why is it still being used for weed control in residential and commercial settings?
It's still for sale in the US because the Environmental Protection Agency hasn't yet changed the classification for Glyphosate and the EPA maintains Roundup is safe for use.

THE COMPANY IS REFORMING THE FORMULA

However not all Roundup products contain Glyphosate, as the company has begun reformulating many consumer products to replace the chemical with other active ingredients. While some Roundup products still use Glyphosate, others, such as Roundup For Lawns, have switched to alternative herbicides, according to Michigan State University. Critics say the change in formula was made to avoid future litigation.
So it's up to individual homeowners to decide whether to use Roundup or some other weed killer that may or may not be a safer product.

Officials from the Washington State Department of Agriculture say there are alternatives to Roundup to kill weeds on your property. But they say chemical alternatives to Roundup can also contain toxic ingredients. There are safe alternatives which include soap-, vinegar-, salt- or iron-based sprays.