The Surprising Reason Bayer Changed Roundup: What You Need to Know About Glyphosate's Phase-Out

Bayer, the company behind the widely used herbicide Roundup, has undertaken significant changes regarding its formulation, specifically concerning the active ingredient glyphosate. Understanding when this shift began, the driving forces behind it, and the alternatives now employed is crucial for consumers and professionals alike.

Key Insights into Roundup's Transformation

Timeline: Bayer announced plans in 2021 and began phasing out glyphosate in Roundup products intended for the U.S. residential lawn and garden market starting in 2023.
Primary Motivation: The decision was driven primarily by the desire to manage significant litigation risks and mounting legal costs from lawsuits alleging glyphosate causes cancer, rather than new safety concerns acknowledged by the company.
Current Alternatives: New residential Roundup formulations primarily use alternative active ingredients like pelargonic acid and other fatty acid-based herbicides, shifting away from the systemic action of glyphosate.

The Phase-Out Decision: When and Why?

A Strategic Shift Starting in 2023

Bayer publicly announced its intention to remove glyphosate from its U.S. residential consumer Roundup products in July 2021. The actual implementation of this phase-out commenced in early 2023. This means that Roundup products purchased for home lawn and garden use in the United States from 2023 onwards are formulated without glyphosate.

It's important to note that this change was specifically targeted at the U.S. residential market. Glyphosate-containing Roundup formulations continue to be available for professional and agricultural use in the U.S. and other global markets, pending further company decisions and regulatory developments.

Bottles of Roundup weed killer on a store shelf

Roundup products on display, reflecting the brand's market presence amid formulation changes.

Litigation Risk: The Core Driver

The overwhelming reason behind Bayer's decision was not a reassessment of glyphosate's safety by the company but rather a strategic move to mitigate extensive and costly litigation. Since acquiring Monsanto (the original developer of Roundup) in 2018, Bayer inherited thousands of lawsuits. These lawsuits predominantly claim that exposure to glyphosate-based Roundup caused users to develop non-Hodgkin lymphoma and other cancers.

Bayer has consistently maintained that glyphosate is safe when used as directed and that regulatory bodies worldwide support its safety. However, facing significant jury awards in initial cases and the sheer volume of pending lawsuits (approximately 67,000 cases pending as of April 2025, according to some reports), the company opted to change the formulation for the consumer market to reduce future legal exposure. Bayer has allocated billions of dollars (reports mention figures ranging from $5.9 billion to over $16 billion budgeted since 2018) to handle settlements and ongoing legal costs related to these glyphosate claims. Bayer explicitly stated the move was "exclusively to manage litigation risk."

The Ongoing Legal Landscape

Despite the phase-out in the residential sector, Bayer continues to defend glyphosate in court and seeks legal avenues, including appeals to the U.S. Supreme Court, to curb the tide of lawsuits. The financial and reputational impact of this litigation remains a significant factor in the company's strategic decisions regarding glyphosate production and sales.

Exploring the Alternatives: What's Inside Roundup Now?

With glyphosate removed from U.S. residential Roundup products, Bayer has turned to alternative active ingredients. While the company hasn't always been explicit about every component in every new formulation, key substitutes have been identified.

Pelargonic Acid and Other Fatty Acids

One of the primary replacements mentioned is pelargonic acid. This naturally occurring fatty acid acts as a non-selective, contact herbicide. Unlike glyphosate, which is systemic (absorbed and transported throughout the plant, killing it entirely, including the roots), pelargonic acid works by disrupting the cell membranes of the plant tissue it touches, leading to rapid desiccation (drying out) and death of the green parts of the weed. It typically does not affect the roots, meaning perennial weeds might regrow.

Other fatty acid-based herbicides and herbicidal soaps function similarly, providing quick "burn-down" effects on weeds. These are often found in organic or alternative weed control products as well.

Products like Avenger Weed Killer represent organic alternatives often utilizing natural acids or oils.

Comparing Glyphosate and Its Alternatives

Glyphosate gained popularity due to its high efficacy as a broad-spectrum, systemic herbicide, effectively killing a wide variety of weeds down to the root. Alternatives like pelargonic acid are effective contact killers but may require more frequent application for persistent weeds and might not be as effective on established root systems. The shift represents a trade-off between the perceived litigation risk of glyphosate and the potentially different performance characteristics of the alternatives.

This radar chart provides a comparative overview of glyphosate against some common alternatives, evaluating them across several key characteristics based on general understanding rather than precise quantitative data. Factors include efficacy, speed of action, systemic effect (killing roots), cost-effectiveness, potential environmental impact, and associated litigation risk.

Bayer's Research and Future Developments

Bayer is actively investing in research and development to create new herbicides. Reports indicate the company aims to bring a novel, non-glyphosate, broad-spectrum herbicide to market potentially by 2028. This ongoing research seeks alternatives that maintain high efficacy while potentially having a reduced environmental footprint and avoiding the legal controversies associated with glyphosate.

Glyphosate Alternatives: A Broader View

Beyond the specific chemicals used in reformulated Roundup, numerous alternatives exist for weed control, ranging from other chemical herbicides to organic and manual methods.

Chemical and Organic Options

The table below summarizes some common alternatives to glyphosate-based products, including those mentioned as potential replacements or widely available options for consumers seeking different approaches to weed management.

Alternative Type	Examples	Mode of Action	Pros	Cons
Fatty Acids / Soaps	Pelargonic Acid, Herbicidal Soaps	Contact; disrupts cell membranes causing desiccation.	Fast-acting burn-down, lower litigation risk, some organic options.	Non-systemic (may not kill roots), may require repeat applications, non-selective.
Natural Acids	Vinegar (Acetic Acid), Citric Acid	Contact; desiccates foliage.	Readily available, perceived as safer, low cost (household vinegar).	Less effective on established/perennial weeds, needs high concentration, non-selective.
Essential Oils	Clove Oil, D-limonene (Citrus Oil)	Contact; strips wax cuticle, causes dehydration.	Natural origin, fast-acting.	Can be expensive, strong odor, variable efficacy, non-selective.
Other Herbicides	Glufosinate, Diquat, Quinclorac	Varies (e.g., Glufosinate is contact/locally systemic, Diquat is contact, Quinclorac is selective systemic).	Effective on specific weed types, some offer different action modes than glyphosate.	May have own environmental/health concerns, selectivity varies, availability.
Manual/Physical	Hand-pulling, Hoeing, Flame Weeding, Mulching	Physical removal or suppression.	No chemicals, targets specific weeds, mulching improves soil.	Labor-intensive, impractical for large areas, flame weeding has fire risk.
Biological/Pre-emergent	Corn Gluten Meal	Prevents seed germination (pre-emergent).	Natural, safe for established plants.	Only prevents new weeds, timing is critical, less effective once weeds emerge.

Chemical alternatives like Quinclorac target specific weeds such as crabgrass.

Mindmap: Navigating the Roundup Glyphosate Situation

This mindmap provides a visual summary of the key factors surrounding Bayer's decision to phase out glyphosate in residential Roundup products.

mindmap root["Bayer & Roundup Glyphosate Phase-Out"] id1["Timeline"] id1a["Announced: July 2021"] id1b["Implementation: Started 2023"] id1c["Scope: U.S. Residential Market"] id2["Reasons for Phase-Out"] id2a["Primary Driver: Litigation Risk"] id2a1["Numerous Lawsuits (Cancer Links)"] id2a2["High Settlement Costs (> $10 Billion)"] id2a3["Reduce Future Legal Exposure"] id2b["Stated Reason NOT Safety Concerns"] id3["Affected Products"] id3a["U.S. Residential/Consumer Lawn & Garden"] id3b["Professional/Agricultural Use Continues (Glyphosate)"] id4["Alternative Ingredients"] id4a["Current Replacements"] id4a1["Pelargonic Acid"] id4a2["Other Fatty Acids / Herbicidal Soaps"] id4a3["Contact Herbicides (vs. Systemic)"] id4b["Ongoing R&D"] id4b1["New Bayer Herbicides Expected (by 2028?)"] id4b2["Focus: Efficacy & Reduced Impact"] id5["Broader Context"] id5a["Other Weed Control Alternatives"] id5a1["Chemical (Glufosinate, etc.)"] id5a2["Organic (Vinegar, Oils)"] id5a3["Manual/Physical Methods"] id5b["Ongoing Legal Battles"] id5c["Regulatory Status of Glyphosate"]

Potential Future Developments

The situation surrounding glyphosate and Roundup remains dynamic. Bayer faces ongoing decisions about its glyphosate production and legal strategy. This embedded video discusses considerations Bayer faced regarding the future of its Roundup production in the U.S. amidst these challenges.

Discussion on Bayer potentially halting U.S. Roundup production due to legal risks (Video: AgWeb)

Continued monitoring of regulatory decisions, legal outcomes, and Bayer's strategic moves will be necessary to fully understand the long-term trajectory of Roundup and glyphosate use.