Bisphenols, phthalates, solvents, parabens ... A large study published Tuesday shows that six "pollutants of the daily" whose effects are still poorly known "are present in the body of all French", while the government presents its sheet of action against endocrine disruptors.
For the first time, Public Health France measured the levels of impregnation of the French population by six families of polluting substances present in the environment and sought to identify the probable sources of exposure - household products, cosmetics, food packaging, etc.
Endocrine disruptors or proven carcinogens
The public body does not pronounce on the health consequences of this pollution, still poorly known, but recalls that some of these products are endocrine disruptors or known or suspected carcinogens. The desired products are bisphenols (A, S and F), phthalates, parabens, glycol ethers, brominated flame retardants and perfluorinated compounds. For most substances, the levels of impregnation found are "comparable to other studies conducted abroad, especially in the United States and Canada".
"Reference values of impregnation in the general population" for the first time in France
These results are part of the Esteban framework - a study on environmental health, biomonitoring, physical activity and nutrition - a research program launched in 2014 to monitor the health status of the French population. , and in particular its exposure to pollutants. The measurements were carried out between 2014 and 2016 on a representative sample of the general population, composed of around 1,100 children and 2,500 adults living in mainland France.
This study makes it possible "to establish for the first time reference values of impregnation in the general population", explains Public Health France. That is to say, it will make it possible to follow the evolution over time of this exposure and to determine if a given group is overexposed to a pollutant compared to the rest of the population. Two other parts of the study, on exposure to metals and pesticides, will be published later, said Public Health France.