In a report unveiled Tuesday, September 4, 2018, the environmental association Future Generations shows for the first time that six pesticide residues out of ten, quantified in the European diet, are suspected endocrine disruptors.

The association for the defense of the environment, Générations futures, released this Tuesday, September 4, a report devoted to endocrine disruptors in the diet of Europeans.

These substances, of natural or artificial origin, can induce harmful effects on the body even at very low levels. Many pesticides are known or suspected endocrine disruptors (EDs).

Food: an important route of exposure

In its latest report, Future Generations focuses on "one of the most important exposure pathways for non-pesticide users: food" . The association relied on annual data from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).

As a result, of the 109,843 pesticide residues identified, 69,433 pesticide residues were quantified. "This total represents more than six out of ten! Food contamination by pesticides is therefore largely a route of contamination by endocrine disruptors! ", Denounces Future Generations.

Complete disappearance of endocrine disruptors

The association deplores that today "the level of proof required to consider a pesticide as PE is extremely high" . It calls for "priority actions" to be put in place to lead to the eventual disappearance of endocrine disruptors from our agriculture and food.

Future Generations would like this issue to be included in the National Strategy on MOUs (SNPE 2), currently being developed by the government, and the future Agriculture and Food Act, which is to be discussed again in Parliament at the end of September.

Knowledge in full swing

This latest report from Future Generations is a tenth part of its investigation into "Exposure to Endocrine Disrupting Pesticides" (Exppert). A series of analyzes launched five years ago, demonstrating the pervasiveness of endocrine disruptors in our environment.

This study enriches knowledge, which has been booming in recent years, regularly alerting about the consequences of endocrine disruptors. The role of PEs has been singled out by various bodies, including associations, the Union of Chemical Industries (UIC), the National Agency for Public Health France ...

In the latest reports unveiled, endocrine disruptors are notably suspected of promoting obesity, diabetes, or even precocious puberty.