Increasing Cadmium Levels in French Soils: Expert Analysis
Concerns raised over cadmium contamination linked to agricultural practices and industrial pollution.
Recently, the National Conference of Regional Unions of Healthcare Professionals—specifically among liberal doctors—issued a warning to the French government regarding the growing contamination of soils by cadmium, a heavy metal classified as a known carcinogen in humans.
This metal is often associated with phosphate fertilizers that are utilized in agricultural practices.
Thibault Sterckeman, an agronomist from the National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment (INRAE), provided insights into this issue, highlighting that the cadmium currently found in French soils predominantly stems from extensive use during the decades of economic growth known as "les Trente Glorieuses" as well as from atmospheric pollution resulting from industrial and urban activities throughout the 20th century.
Concerns about cadmium levels have prompted discussions about the implications for food safety and environmental health, underpinning the urgency for regulatory scrutiny and potential adjustments in agricultural practices to mitigate contamination risks.
This metal is often associated with phosphate fertilizers that are utilized in agricultural practices.
Thibault Sterckeman, an agronomist from the National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment (INRAE), provided insights into this issue, highlighting that the cadmium currently found in French soils predominantly stems from extensive use during the decades of economic growth known as "les Trente Glorieuses" as well as from atmospheric pollution resulting from industrial and urban activities throughout the 20th century.
Concerns about cadmium levels have prompted discussions about the implications for food safety and environmental health, underpinning the urgency for regulatory scrutiny and potential adjustments in agricultural practices to mitigate contamination risks.