No More RoundUp! Keep Landscaping and Golf Courses Beautiful And Safe
Use of Roundup
Over half of the developed land in Rossmoor, including the golf courses and landscaped mutual property, is sprayed regularly with Roundup herbicides. Approximately 20 of the mutuals and projects use Roundup as the major form of weed killer. Both golf courses have been sprayed with Roundup since 1978.
Dangers of Roundup
Glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup, has raised significant health and environmental concerns. In 2015, the World Health Organization classified glyphosate as a Group 2A carcinogen to humans, primarily due to links with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. A 2018 University of Washington review of existing studies revealed that regular glyphosate exposure likely increased workers’ risk of contracting non-Hodgkin lymphoma by as much as 41 percent.
Danger to Human Health
Beyond cancer risks, Roundup exposure has been linked to liver disease, endocrine disruption, and neurological effects. Research also indicates that chronic exposure may affect reproductive health, immune system function and gut bacteria that are essential for human health.
Roundup Litigation
Monsanto, now owned by Bayer Corporation, faces ongoing litigation from people who claim that Roundup exposure caused their cancer. As of March 2026, Monsanto has reached settlement agreements in nearly 100,000 Roundup lawsuits, paying approximately $11 billion. Notable verdicts include a December 2025 CA appeals court decision upholding a $28 million verdict for Mike Dennis, who developed non-Hodgkin lymphoma due to exposure to Roundup.
Herbicides
Roundup is a non-selective herbicide. The term “pesticide” is an umbrella category including herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, and other products used to control unwanted organisms Harm to Animals According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, glyphosate use is likely causing harm to approximately 1,676 plant and animal species protected under the Endangered Species Act. Dogs are particularly vulnerable to Roundup because they are low to the ground and constantly sniffing and going to the bathroom.
RWC Issue
We advocate for an end to using Roundup and other toxic pesticides in Rossmoor. Rossmoor needs comprehensive policies regarding the use of Roundup and other toxic pesticides. We all walk across mutual lands, enjoy the open space of golf courses and common areas, and hope to minimize the risk of illness for residents, workers and our pets.
Golf Course Greens
Rossmoor is a senior community that is home to 2 golf courses, which provide beautiful open spaces and recreation to residents. The golf course turf differs from standard landscaping grass and requires different maintenance.
Risk of Golf Courses
Newsweek reports that a 2025 Journal of the American Medical Association Open Study claims one’s risk of living within 1-3 miles of a golf course doubles one's odds of developing Parkinson’s. The primary transmission of herbicides appears to be by water sources shared between households and golf courses. While this sharing of water may not always be the case, the research does indicate a substantial risk of living close to a golf course. Air and skin contact are also problematic.
Understanding Your Mutual/Project
Please contact your Mutual Board president or landscaping manager to discuss pesticide use. Information about the spraying of Roundup is not available in a single report for all mutuals. However, for specific information about the type of landscaping used in your mutual or project, you can also contact John Tawaststjerna at jtawaststjerna@rossmoor.com. If they use “traditional” landscaping in your mutual or project, then Roundup is being used.
Contact
If you have specific concerns regarding landscaping and contractors, the lack of protective gear or masks, marking of sprayed areas, or other activities that are seen as unsafe, please contact Jesus Morales, RWC landscape manager at jmorales@rossmoor.com or 925-988-7618.
Citations and Resources
Seneff, Stephanie. Toxic Legacy: How the Weedkiller Glyphosate is Destroying Our Health and Environment, Chelsea Green Publishing: London, 2021
Silverman,Hollie. “Parkinson’s Disease Linked to Living Near Golf Courses—New Study” Newsweek, May 12, 2025
https://www.beyondpesticides.org/assets/media/Health Effects of 40 Lawn Pesticides 2021.pdf
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/environmental-science/articles/10.3389/ fenvs.2021.643847/full
https://www.iarc.who.int/featured-news/media-centre-iarc-news-glyphosate/
https://www.lawsuit-information-center.com/roundup-lawsuit.html
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1383574218300887
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