International Agency for Research on Cancer Sees a Risk in Pesticides

Three pesticides, including a commonly-used weedkiller, were "probably" carcinogenic and two others, which have already been outlawed or restricted, were "possibly" so, says the UN's International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).

The International Agency for Research on Cancer is an intergovernmental agency forming part of the World Health Organization of the United Nations.

IARC classified the herbicide glyphosate and insecticides malathion and diazinon as "probably carcinogenic" on the basis of "limited evidence" of cancer among humans, while insecticides tetrachlorvinphos and parathion were "possibly carcinogenic" in the light of "convincing evidence" from lab animals.

Source: AFP