Glyphosate, a common herbicide, should not be cleared for use because the recent safety review by the government was fundamentally flawed, says GE Free NZ.
The report into the herbicide's dangers has been slammed by GE Free NZ Photo: 123RF
The Environmental Protection Authority announced earlier this week that its report found the herbicide, usually sold as Roundup, was unlikely to cause cancer in people.
But GE Free New Zealand president Claire Bleakley said the research failed to account for secondary residual effects and looked only at the active ingredient not additives which could increase the toxicity up to a thousand times.
Ms Bleakley said the report was not thorough enough.
"The report is superficial in its assessment. It's fundamentally flawed to just consider one ingredient - glyphosate - without also taking into account the other additives that make GBH such a powerful killer,"
Ms Bleakley said the EPA's assessment ignored recent data showing that the full formulations are hazardous to health and the environment.
GE Free New Zealand wanted more done on the issue.
"We ask that the EPA revise its process for decision making by requiring safety assessors to look at the health and environmental effects of the full formulation. Only this approach can genuinely protect public safety.", said Ms Bleakley.
The EPA said it had no comment to make.