Cancer Council Australia, Australia's peak cancer body, is calling for an independent review into the world's most popular weedkiller, Roundup.
The chemical glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup, has been linked to non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Popular with home gardeners and farmers in Australia, glyphosate is the most widely used herbicide in the world. Glyphosate was patented by Monsanto four decades ago, sparking a revolution in agriculture.
The Cancer Council is concerned there has not been an independent or formal review of the chemical glyphosate in more than two decades.
The World Health Organisation body, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, classified glyphosate as "probably carcinogenic to humans" in 2015.
"We are concerned that this issue's not being taken seriously enough in Australia, particularly by the agricultural industry," Cancer Council Australia CEO Dr Sanchia Aranda said.
"The IARC report is independent and does suggest that there is absolutely a reason for concern."
Australia's regulator, the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA), has not formally reviewed glyphosate since 1995 according to ABC's Four Corners.
The regulator did a scientific evaluation of the IARC report and decided there was no reason to formally review glyphosate.
"Glyphosate remains safe to use in the Australian environment," APVMA chief executive Dr Chris Parker said.
