Bayer has agreed to pay $6.9 million US to settle claims by New York Attorney General Letitia James that it misled consumers by advertising Roundup, which has been linked to cancer, as environmentally safe.
The settlement resolves accusations that Bayer and its Monsanto unit failed to substantiate their repeated claims about Roundup products containing the active ingredient glyphosate.
These included that Roundup “won’t harm anything but weeds” and “do not pose a threat to the health of animal wildlife,” as well as suggestions in since-removed YouTube videos that Roundup was safer than detergent and soap.
James said the claims violated state laws against false and misleading advertising, and breached Monsanto’s 1996 settlement with New York over its advertising of Roundup at the time.
The $6.9 million will be spent on reducing the impact of pesticides on pollinators and aquatic species.
Bayer did not admit or deny wrongdoing.