France declares war on cadmium: bill to limit carcinogen on our plates

In France, the National Assembly has approved a bill aimed at rapidly reducing the maximum cadmium content in phosphate fertilizers.

The bill "aimed at protecting the food supply of the French people from cadmium contamination", presented by deputiess Benoît Biteau and Clémentine Autain, has passed its first reading in France (and against the advice of the government).

Naturally present in the environment, this metal is also, and above all, contained in fertilizers made from phosphate rock, which farmers use to boost yields. Once spread on fields, the metal is absorbed by plants, contaminating food and then the body.

This is a historic victory for the environment and public health, but also a win against the extreme right and certain representatives of the Republican right who voted against the bill. In fact, the law was supported by all forces on the left, as well as by the centrist Horizons, MoDem and Renaissance groups.

What the bill provides for

The executive had recently presented a much less ambitious regulatory project. The government's proposal envisages a limit of 60 mg/kg in 2027, 40 mg/kg in 2030 and only 20 mg/kg by 2038. The timetable, according to the law's promoters, would delay the implementation of the first recommendations made by Anses in 2019 by almost twenty years.

To become definitive, the proposal must now be examined by the Senate, where the legislative calendar is particularly busy. In the meantime, an important step has already been taken in the European debate on food safety and the impact of fertilizers, at a time when environmental contaminants can accumulate in agricultural soils and foodstuffs destined for human consumption.

Sources : National Assembly / Green