Brazil court suspends new glyphosate pesticide registrations

A labor court in Brasília has ordered a 90-day suspension of new registrations and authorizations for glyphosate-based pesticides and their derivatives. The decision, requested by the Labor Public Prosecutor's Office in the Federal District, does not currently affect products that are already registered or authorized for use.

As part of the ruling, Anvisa has been directed to urgently analyze potential discrepancies in product labeling and consumer information within 20 days. Ibama must also provide environmental assessments, risk maps, and a report on the potential impacts of removing the substance from the market. Various ministries are required to provide data regarding the sanitary, labor, environmental, social, and economic consequences of glyphosate use.

CropLife Brasil, representing the pesticide industry, expressed concern over the suspension. The entity argued that the measure could hinder the introduction of modern formulations, prolong the presence of older products, and create legal and operational insecurity. CropLife Brasil emphasized that safety decisions should be based on scientific criteria from official bodies and noted that the European Chemicals Agency has maintained that glyphosate does not meet the criteria for being classified as carcinogenic.