Question 24619 — dangerous products

Summary

Ms. Delphine Batho questions the Minister of Solidarity and Health on the application of the precautionary principle regarding plant protection products in the category of succinate dehydrogenase inhibitor fungicides (SDHI). According to a study published by French researchers on November 7, 2019 in the scientific journal PLOS ONE, eight SDHI substances authorized in products marketed in France (boscalid, penflufen, flutolanil, fluopyram, isopyrazam, penthiopyrad, fluxapyroxad, bixafen), not only inhibit the SDH activity of fungi, but are also capable of blocking that of earthworms, bees and human cells, in varying proportions. Furthermore, the conditions of current regulatory toxicity tests mask a very significant effect of SDHIs on human cells: fungicides induce stress. oxidative in these cells, leading to their death. Furthermore, another study, published in June 2012 in the journal Mutation research, provided evidence of the in vitro genotoxicity of methyl-pyrazole pesticides, including bixafen, in human cells. Following the alert launched on April 15, 2018 by a group of doctors and researchers from INSERM, CNRS and INRA concerning the health effects of SDHI, an opinion from ANSES relating to the evaluation of the signal concerning the toxicity of succinate dehydrogenase inhibitor fungicides, published in January 2019, concluded that “the information and scientific hypotheses provided by the whistleblowers do not provide evidence in favor of the existence of a health alert”. During a hearing on Wednesday, November 6, 2019 by the study group on environmental health of the National Assembly, ANSES, however, indicated to the honorable parliamentarian that “the alert is not closed” and that multiple additional scientific expert studies are continuing or must be undertaken. Article 5 of the Environmental Charter enshrined in the Constitution states that "When the occurrence of damage, although uncertain in the state of scientific knowledge, could seriously and irreversibly affect environment, public authorities ensure, by application of the precautionary principle and in their areas of responsibility, the implementation of risk assessment procedures and the adoption of provisional and proportionate measures in order to prevent the occurrence of damage. As a result, the necessary pursuit of scientific expertise does not prevent the taking of immediate decisions, falling within the prerogatives of the Government, to protect public health and the environment. Article L. 253-7 of the rural code allows the administrative authority to suspend marketing authorizations for SDHIs pending the conclusions of additional scientific work undertaken by ANSES. This is why she asks him to please indicate whether the Government intends to use these provisions to suspend authorizations for placing SDHIs on the market in application of the precautionary principle.

Machine translation from French. The official text remains authoritative.

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