Bayer is seeking approval for a $2 billion (€1.63 billion) settlement to resolve current and future lawsuits over its infamous weedkiller Roundup following a slew of legal action against the company after the glyphosate-based herbicide was linked with cases of cancer.
Roundup
Photo: Mike Mozart / Flickr Licence: CC BY
The company asked San Francisco judge Vince Chhabria to approve the deal allowing the company to create a framework with which it can resolve future legal action related to claims that the weedkiller causes non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
Read more: Bayer strikes $2bn deal to resolve future Roundup lawsuits
The proposed settlement would cover two types of Roundup users, those with lymphoma who have not retained a lawyer, and those who use Roundup but have not fallen sick, being described as "type one" and "type two", respectively, by the judge.
The company continues to stand behind what they describe as decades of scientific study that shows glyphosate is safe for human use.
The US's Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) stated in 2020 that glyphosate should be safe for human use, provided the proper precautions and safety measures are taken.
2015 research from the World Health Organization (WHO), however, states that glyphosate is "probably carcinogenic" to humans.
The judge concurs with the EPA's ruling and has suggested Bayer place warning labels on Roundup as part of the proposed settlement to reduce misuse.
There are reports that he is warming to the idea, stating that "a settlement of this type could potentially be reasonable for class one."
"For years I've been wondering why Monsanto wouldn't do that voluntarily to protect itself," he added.
Last year, the company defeated the State of California in a legal battle when state regulators tried to mandate a cancer warning on the Roundup label.
However, Bayer's lawyers doubt labelling would reduce the chance of future lawsuits.
Roundup users can opt out and retain full legal rights. Those who don't become part of the settlement, are entitled to free health tests and $200,000 if they develop non-Hodgkins lymphoma during the four-year trial period.
Attempting to quell the issue is in Bayer's best interests. More than half of its herbicide revenue comes from Roundup alone.
However, the settlement has been met with fierce opposition.
Trial lawyers at the Fears Nachawati Law Firm represent more than 4,000 individuals who have developed non-Hodgkins lymphoma after exposure to Roundup.
It claims the settlement diminishes healthy Roundup users' legal rights and waives their right to sue under certain situations.
The firm's co-founder Majed Nachawati said: "After today's hearing, we remain optimistic that the court will deny Monsanto's request to approve this flawed resolution. We will continue to fight for each cancer victim's right to a trial by jury and will opt out of this unfair proposal."
The Roundup situation has gotten so out of hand for Bayer that it is looking to sell off its pest control unit in order to cut losses from all the lawsuits related to the product.
Read more: Bayer strikes $2bn deal to resolve future Roundup lawsuits
Bayer inherited Roundup and its legal troubles when acquired the weedkiller's developer Monsanto in 2018, for which it paid $63 billion.
It has also seen three of its insecticides banned in the European Union after they were linked with the deaths of bee colonies, thus preventing their use on certain crops.
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