Quebec woman seeks to file class action against makers of herbicide Roundup

Containers of Roundup, left, a weed killer is seen on a shelf with other products for sale at a hardware store in Los Angeles on Thursday, Jan. 26, 2017. A battle over the main ingredient in Roundup, the popular weed killer sprayed by farmers and home gardeners worldwide, is coming to a head in California, where officials want to be the first to label the chemical, glyphosate, with warnings that it could cause cancer. Chemical giant Monsanto has sued the nation's leading agricultural producer, saying state officials illegally based their decision for warning labels on an international health organization. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)

A Quebec woman is seeking permission to file a class action lawsuit against Bayer and Monsanto, the company that makes the herbicide Roundup.

Liliane Paquette never used the product, but handled it and inhaled fumes while working on a farm in l'Assomption. According to court documents, Paquette was exposed to the herbicide between 1997 and 2005.

She was diagnosed with stage 4 non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2005 and hasn't been able to work since.

The suit is seeking $10 million in damages. Paquette is is accusing the manufacturers of breaching their obligation by portraying it as a safe product.

The class action looks to include all Quebecers who were in contact with the RoundUp and diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma since 1976.

“While we have great sympathy for the plaintiffs, glyphosate-based herbicides are not the cause of their illnesses and we will rigorously defend our products,” said Bayer Canada in a statement, adding that the company “firmly stand(s) behind the safety of glyphosate-based products.”

Bayer bought Monsanto in 2018 for $63 billion. The two companies are currently embroiled in more than approximately 14,000 lawsuits worldwide.

Last week a court in California ordered Bayer to pay more than $2 billion to a couple who claimed Roundup cause their cancer.

In 2015, the World Health Organization listed the active ingredient in Roundup as a probable carcinogen, but this year Health Canada maintained its approval of the herbicide as being safe to use.

The lawsuit still needs to be approved by Quebec Superior Court.