ECHA RAC Finds No Change Needed to Glyphosate Carcinogenicity Classification

The European Chemicals Agency's Committee for Risk Assessment (RAC) has concluded that new evidence from the 2025 Global Glyphosate Study does not justify classifying glyphosate as carcinogenic under EU chemicals law. RAC adopted the opinion on 8 September 2026 after an independent scientific assessment of the study and comments received through a targeted consultation.

The ECHA glyphosate update says the study does not change RAC's 2022 hazard assessment. The scientific opinion does not itself amend CLP Annex VI. Glyphosate's existing harmonised classification remains applicable. The substance is classified as causing serious eye damage, category 1, with hazard statement H318, and as hazardous to the aquatic environment, chronic category 2, with hazard statement H411. It is not harmonised as carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic for reproduction.

Glyphosate Carcinogenicity Classification Remains Unchanged

The European Commission asked ECHA to review RAC's 30 May 2022 opinion after researchers published the Global Glyphosate Study in June 2025. Foresight reported the EU review request in July 2025. The review covered carcinogenicity only. RAC evaluates a substance's intrinsic hazards under the Classification, Labelling and Packaging Regulation. It does not assess the exposure risks of specific product uses.

ECHA opened a targeted consultation from 2 to 31 March 2026. RAC considered the comments with the study data and its preliminary discussion from June 2026 before adopting the new opinion.

The result does not create a new classification, threshold, exemption or transition period. Suppliers must continue to apply the existing harmonised classification and separately classify glyphosate mixtures under CLP. The opinion also does not remove current safety controls for workers, users or the environment.

ECHA’s 8 September announcement said the full opinion would be published within a couple of months and sent to the European Food Safety Authority and the Commission.

EU Approval And Product Authorisations Continue Separately

RAC's conclusion is a scientific opinion on hazard classification. It does not renew, extend or cancel glyphosate's approval as an active substance in plant protection products. The 2023 EU renewal approved glyphosate until 15 December 2033, subject to its existing conditions under Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/2660.

Only herbicide uses may be authorised. EU Member States decide whether to authorise individual plant protection products and can apply product-specific controls. The regulation sets a minimum technical purity of 950 grams per kilogram and limits for specified impurities, including N-nitroso-glyphosate, formaldehyde, triethylamine, formic acid and glyphosine.

The regulation also sets maximum annual application rates unless the risk assessment for the specific uses demonstrates that a higher rate does not cause unacceptable effects on small herbivorous mammals. These are 1.44 kilograms per hectare for agricultural uses, 1.8 kilograms per hectare for control of invasive species and 3.6 kilograms per hectare for non-agricultural uses.

For professional agricultural spraying, the default measures include an in-field non-sprayed buffer strip of five to ten metres, depending on use, and nozzles reducing drift by at least 75%, or equivalent drift-reduction measures. A specific-use risk assessment may justify lowering or omitting these measures. Uses as a desiccant to control harvest timing or optimise threshing must not be authorised.