12 Million In France Are Drinking Pesticide-Contaminated Water

Up to 20% of the population – especially in Brittany – has consumed water with potentially dangerous pesticide levels.

By Hannah Thompson (https://www.connexionfrance.com)

*Link to full article: https://www.connexionfrance.com/article/French-news/12-million-people-in-France-have-drunk-pesticide-contaminated-water

Up to 12 million people in France have drunk tap water that contains pesticide levels above the acceptable quality threshold, it has emerged this week.

A report by FranceInfo and Le Monde yesterday (September 22), which was also highlighted on the Complément d’enquête programme on France 2, revealed the number, which equates to around 20% of the population.

In Brittany, the percentage is estimated to be as high as 43% of the population affected.

Across France, pesticides that are judged to be potentially dangerous must not exceed the threshold of 0.1 micrograms per litre (or 0.3 micrograms for some), and the total must not exceed 0.5 micrograms per litre. These thresholds were set in 2007.

Health norms are usually set after studies by health and food safety agency l’Agence nationale de sécurité sanitaire de l’alimentation, de l’environnement et du travail (Anses). But studies do not yet exist for all pesticides.

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