David Saltmiras, Ph.D.
Small Molecule Toxicology Lead, Bayer Crop Science
Expert Bio
Following my Ph.D. studies and research at Cornell University, a short postdoctoral stint confirmed I wanted a career outside the laboratory setting. I have since enjoyed professional focus on toxicology and safety assessment for an array of substances and products: industrial chemicals, pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, microbials and GMO crops. Certified with the American Board of Toxicology (DABT), I am currently the Small Molecule Toxicology Lead at Bayer. Outside the office I am an avid motorcyclist and enjoy the outdoors with my family.
Studies, Articles and Answers
Showing 6 out of 6 results
Question
A: Most of us have picked up a bottle of Roundup from a home center and used it to kill weeds in our driveways and gardens. Roundup-brand herbicides have a long history of safe use at home and in agricultural settings. As with most chemical products, appropriate precautions must be taken during handling, and use of these products and the directions for use must be followed carefully. Almost all nonfood products, including herbicides, would not be safe for human consumption straight out of the container, because most chemical products contain ingredients at levels significantly higher [...]
GMO Basics Health & SafetyQuestion
A: As parents, farmers, and community members ourselves, we care as much as anyone else about the health and well-being of our families, neighbors and environment. A buffer zone is typically an untreated area between an agricultural field and a protected structure or area. Currently, there are no across-the-board, “one size fits all” buffer zones mandated for pesticide users, and with good reason: the scientific evidence does not support buffer zones as the best approach to minimize undesired drift; and the factors that influence drift of pesticide sprays have been wel [...]
A: As parents, farmers, and community members ourselves, we care as much as anyone else about the health and well-being of our families, neighbors and environment. A buffer zone is typically an untreated area between an agricultural field and a protected structure or area. Currently, there are no across-the-board, “one size fits all” buffer zones mandated for pesticide users, and with good reason: the scientific evidence does not support buffer zones as the best approach to minimize undesired drift; and the factors that influence drift of pesticide sprays have been wel [...]
A: Thank you for submitting your question to GMO Answers. Each part of your question will be answered by a different expert, and we will be posting each answer as it becomes available. This is an evolving topic in Hawaii. Following are links to news articles which discuss legislation recently introduced related to buffer zones: Hawaii News Now, House kills controversial pesticide buffer zone bill, February 19,2015 Civil Beat, House Panel Rejects Bill to Impose Buffer Zones for Pesticides, February 19, 2015 Civil Beat, Hawaii Governor Supports Buffer Zones for Pesticide Spraying, February 12 [...]
A: Over atrazine’s 50+-year history, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), along with other regulatory agencies around the world, has conducted and reviewed more than 7,000 scientific studies to evaluate its safety, including any reproductive or developmental toxicity. These studies consistently have shown atrazine does not cause harmful effects to human health, including potential for birth defects or reproductive complications. In fact, the World Health Organization specifically stated in a 2007 report atrazine is not a cause of birth defects. And in 2011, an EPA [...]
A: There is a lot of really great information regarding glyphosate on GMO Answers. I have authored a few of them myself and let me start by emphasizing the long history of safe use for glyphosate both at home and in agriculture. Specifically to address your question about a “safe” limit, here is the short version: EPA has established an acceptable daily intake, or ADI, based on toxicity studies that look at a variety of toxic effects, such as immediate or acute toxicity, effects on reproductive processes, cancer-causing and other long-term effects, etc. [...]
GMO Basics Health & SafetyQuestion
A: I previously responded to a very similar question on whether it is safe to drink Roundup. As with most household and consumer products, Roundup should be handled appropriately, following the product’s labeled directions. You can read the related response here, and an excerpt is below. “Most of us have picked up a bottle of Roundup from a home center and used it to kill weeds in our driveways and gardens. Roundup-brand herbicides have a long history of safe use at home and in agricultural settings. As with most chemical products, appropriate precautions must be taken during handling and us [...]
Health & SafetyQuestion
Q: DOES GLYPHOSATE CAUSE CANCER?
A: No, glyphosate does not cause cancer. But don’t just take my word for it. Please also consider statements from multiple authorities who reviewed both robust glyphosate data sets and peer-reviewed literature, quoted below. Over the last 25 years or more, these expert reviewers have not wavered from the science-based conclusion that glyphosate does not cause cancer. What I find quite compelling is that over the years, the volume of toxicology studies on glyphosate has grown considerably and has increased confidence in the repeated scientific conclusions on this topic. Between 1981 and 2009, gly [...]
LabelingQuestion
A: The quick answer for regulatory studies is 90 days for GMO safety and 26 months for glyphosate (the active ingredient in Roundup agricultural herbicides) safety. The lengths of these studies are assessed and set by independent scientific bodies globally, in order to ensure product developers generate comprehensive data to appropriately determine the long-term safety of new products. This question is similar to others on the site about safety testing and long-term safety. I’ve pulled together the following links to a few questions about GM safety that I thought you might find helpful:&nbs [...]
A: The quick answer for regulatory studies is 90 days for GMO safety and 26 months for glyphosate (the active ingredient in Roundup agricultural herbicides) safety. The lengths of these studies are assessed and set by independent scientific bodies globally, in order to ensure product developers generate comprehensive data to appropriately determine the long-term safety of new products. This question is similar to others on the site about safety testing and long-term safety. I’ve pulled together the following links to a few questions about GM safety that I thought you might find helpful:&nbs [...]
Business PracticesQuestion
A: The quick answer for regulatory studies is 90 days for GMO safety and 26 months for glyphosate (the active ingredient in Roundup agricultural herbicides) safety. The lengths of these studies are assessed and set by independent scientific bodies globally, in order to ensure product developers generate comprehensive data to appropriately determine the long-term safety of new products. This question is similar to others on the site about safety testing and long-term safety. I’ve pulled together the following links to a few questions about GM safety that I thought you might find helpful:&nbs [...]
A: The quick answer for regulatory studies is 90 days for GMO safety and 26 months for glyphosate (the active ingredient in Roundup agricultural herbicides) safety. The lengths of these studies are assessed and set by independent scientific bodies globally, in order to ensure product developers generate comprehensive data to appropriately determine the long-term safety of new products. This question is similar to others on the site about safety testing and long-term safety. I’ve pulled together the following links to a few questions about GM safety that I thought you might find helpful:&nbs [...]
Business Practices