Pesticides and Precaution: A Look into Health Canada’s Proposed Increase of Glyphosate Residue Limit

By Nadine L. Wellington and Emma C. Anderson, Science and Policy Exchange

When buying food at the grocery store, consumers often get more than they bargained for: invisible to the naked eye, many food products contain residues of agricultural pesticides.

While these products are pillars of industrial agri-business, their usage is being reevaluated worldwide. Recently, after receiving requests from the pesticide industry, Health Canada proposed to increase Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) of the controversial herbicide glyphosate (Table 1).

Current and Proposed Canadian Maximum Residue Limits for Glyphosate on Foods (ppm)

To learn more about glyphosate’s benefits, risks, and controversies - check out this article!