WHO findings on weed killer will not speed up EU safety review

Brussels

EUROPEAN Union regulators will not accelerate a decision on whether to restrict use of the world's most widely used weed killer, even though it has been linked to cancer by the World Health Organization (WHO), officials said on Tuesday.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), part of the WHO, said in March that glyphosate was "probably carcinogenic to humans". Glyphosate is the active ingredient in Roundup, made by Monsanto, the world's biggest seed company.

In response to the IARC findings, the US Environment Protection Agency said it may start testing food products for residues. Campaign group Greenpeace is among those demanding …