Bayer to Cease U.S. Consumer Sales of Glyphosate-Containing Weedkillers
Bayer will phase out glyphosate in U.S. residential weedkillers amid mounting lawsuits, health concerns, and regulatory scrutiny.
Bayer to Halt Sales of Glyphosate in U.S. Consumer Weedkillers
Bayer AG, the pharmaceutical and agricultural giant, has announced it will remove the controversial herbicide glyphosate from its popular consumer weedkiller brands, including Roundup, by 2023 in the United States. This move, applicable only to “residential lawn & garden” markets and not to professional or agricultural uses, comes amid mounting legal, health, and environmental concerns surrounding glyphosate’s safety.
The Glyphosate Controversy: What Is Glyphosate?
Glyphosate is a widely used systemic herbicide, introduced to the market in 1974 by Monsanto (acquired by Bayer in 2018). It swiftly became a cornerstone of weed management for both large-scale farming and home gardening. As the active ingredient in Roundup, glyphosate has been praised for its effectiveness but has also sparked an ongoing debate over its health and ecological effects.
- Glyphosate is non-selective, killing most plants by inhibiting a key enzyme involved in plant growth.
- It has been used extensively worldwide in agriculture, landscaping, and gardening.
- Glyphosate-resistant genetically modified crops further expanded its use.
Backdrop: Growing Legal and Regulatory Pressure
The decision by Bayer is directly linked to a wave of lawsuits and ongoing regulatory scrutiny over the alleged link between glyphosate and cancer, specifically non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
- Since a pivotal World Health Organization report in 2015 labeled glyphosate as “probably carcinogenic to humans,” litigation has surged.
- Bayer has faced tens of thousands of lawsuits in the U.S., resulting in approximately $11 billion paid to settle around 100,000 cases as of May 2025.
- Scientific evidence linking glyphosate exposure to cancer has increased, though regulatory agencies have differed in their assessments.
- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ruled in 2020 that glyphosate is not a carcinogen, but must now reevaluate the issue per a federal court order.
Bayer’s Announcement: A Strategic Legal Shift
Bayer’s leadership has emphasized that the company’s decision does not equate to an admission of guilt regarding glyphosate’s health dangers. Instead, Bayer frames the action as a means to “manage litigation risk” and avoid further jury trials over consumer residential use. The 2023 phase-out is limited to U.S. residential lawn and garden products—other global and professional markets remain unaffected for now.
- The new strategy is aimed at reducing future liability in U.S. courts.
- Bayer continues to assert that glyphosate-based products are safe when used as directed.
- The company will introduce new formulations for residential markets, using alternative active ingredients.
What Will Replace Glyphosate in Consumer Weedkillers?
Bayer plans to produce alternative non-glyphosate formulations of Roundup and similar brands for residential customers. Early indications show that these replacements are mixtures of other herbicides, each with their own environmental and health risk profiles.
- Common replacement chemicals include diquat dibromide, fluazifop-P-butyl, triclopyr, and imazapic.
- Some of these chemicals (such as diquat dibromide and imazapic) are banned in the European Union due to toxicity concerns.
- According to advocacy groups, new Roundup formulations may be up to 45 times more toxic to human health following long-term exposure compared to glyphosate.
- The substituted chemicals are also more persistent in the environment, with a higher risk of contaminating groundwater and harming bees, birds, and aquatic life.
What others are reading
Key Facts About the Glyphosate Phase-Out
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Products Affected | U.S. residential lawn & garden products (Roundup, etc.) |
| Date of Change | Starting 2023 (phase-in through retail cycles) |
| Reason for Change | Managing litigation risk over cancer lawsuits |
| Replacement Chemistries | Diquat dibromide, fluazifop-P-butyl, triclopyr, imazapic, etc. |
| Professional/Agricultural Use | Glyphosate products remain available for these sectors |
Ongoing Glyphosate Sales: Who Can Still Access It?
While glyphosate will disappear from U.S. garden centers for home use, the chemical will remain legally available for agricultural and professional applications. This includes large-scale farmers and groundskeepers, who have traditionally used glyphosate on millions of acres of crops such as corn and soybeans.
- Bayer’s primary glyphosate business remains agricultural, not consumer-focused.
- The company warns that continued lawsuits could eventually force it to withdraw glyphosate for all non-consumer uses, but no such decision has been made.
Health and Environmental Impacts: What the Science Says
The health effects linked to glyphosate remain the subject of global debate.
- International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC): Labeled glyphosate as “probably carcinogenic to humans” (2015).
- EPA (United States): Concluded glyphosate is not likely carcinogenic to humans (2020), but is reviewing its stance after a federal court ruling.
- Studies linking glyphosate to non-Hodgkin lymphoma and ecological damage have increased; additional concerns include disruption to soil microbes and harm to pollinators.
- Advocacy groups continue to raise alarms about health impacts and persistence in the ecosystem, especially as new chemical alternatives may also carry risks.
Litigation Landscape: How Lawsuits Drove Bayer’s Decision
The legal pressure on Bayer accelerated after juries repeatedly awarded multi-million dollar verdicts to individuals claiming they developed cancer from Roundup exposure. With an estimated 125,000 lawsuits filed in recent years, Bayer has been forced to spend billions in settlements and legal costs.
- The vast majority of legal claims involve U.S. residential users of glyphosate products.
- Bayer has pursued settlements, appeals, and legislative efforts to limit future suits.
- Despite payouts, individual juries have at times proceeded with large financial awards to plaintiffs.
- The company also faces lawsuits over other legacy chemicals and industrial contaminants (such as PCBs).
Regulatory and Industry Reactions
Bayer’s decision to remove glyphosate from residential products has drawn reactions from various stakeholders:
- Environmental and health advocacy organizations welcomed the move but warn that replacement chemicals could be even more hazardous.
- Some farming and industry groups continue to assert glyphosate’s importance for effective, economical weed control and warn against outright bans.
- State legislatures, notably in Georgia and North Dakota, have considered laws to shield companies like Bayer from further liability. The future success of these moves remains uncertain.
- Bayer’s new herbicide “CropKey,” featuring a different active ingredient (icafolin-methyl), is being positioned as a next-generation solution designed to sidestep cancer controversies.
The Future of Herbicide Use and Weed Management
Glyphosate’s removal from U.S. residential shelves signals a potential shift in weed control for consumers. Home gardeners may have to adapt to new products with different safety instructions and varying efficacy. For agriculture, glyphosate remains crucial, though persistent legal and regulatory scrutiny could force changes in farming practices over time.
- The phase-out may encourage organic and less-chemical-intensive yardcare among homeowners.
- Agricultural users must stay aware of evolving legal and scientific developments that could impact glyphosate’s availability or require new stewardship practices.
- Consumer advocacy for product safety is likely to continue influencing both industry practices and regulatory decisions worldwide.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: Why is Bayer removing glyphosate from consumer weedkillers?
A: Bayer is ending glyphosate sales to U.S. consumers to manage litigation risks after tens of thousands of lawsuits alleging health harms, especially cancer, from home use exposures.
Q: Will glyphosate-based Roundup still be available?
A: Not for U.S. home gardeners — glyphosate will be absent from residential products, but the chemical will remain available for professional and agricultural users until further notice.
Q: Are the new replacement weedkillers safer?
A: Not necessarily. New formulations often contain herbicides such as diquat dibromide and triclopyr, some of which are banned in the EU and may be more toxic to humans and the environment over long-term exposure.
Q: What are the environmental impacts of the new products?
A: Replacement chemicals can be more persistent and more harmful to pollinators, aquatic life, and soil health than glyphosate. Advocacy groups urge careful oversight and further research before deeming them safer alternatives.
Q: How does this affect global herbicide use?
A: Glyphosate remains available in most countries and for agriculture, though the U.S. consumer phase-out may influence markets and regulatory approaches worldwide.
Conclusion: A Landmark in Chemical Stewardship
Bayer’s decision to withdraw glyphosate from consumer weedkillers marks a major turning point in the history of urban pesticide use. Driven by mounting legal, public health, and environmental pressures, this move may shape both industry behavior and consumer expectations for years to come. However, the safety and ecological impact of replacement products remain under scrutiny, underscoring the need for sustained vigilance by regulators, industry, and the public alike.
References
- https://foe.org/resources/new-roundup-new-risks/
- https://www.lawsuit-information-center.com/roundup-lawsuit.html
- https://cen.acs.org/environment/pesticides/Bayer-moves-block-lawsuits-claim/103/web/2025/04
- https://www.no-tillfarmer.com/articles/14524-in-the-weeds-glyphosate-news-roundup-august-19-2025
- https://csgsouth.org/policies/lawsuits-and-legislation-whats-happening-with-glyphosate-based-herbicides/
- https://agfundernews.com/bayer-turning-over-every-stone-to-significantly-contain-glyphosate-litigation-by-end-of-2026
Similar Articles
Read full bio of Sneha Tete
