The proliferation of insects due to the tropical climate would be the main explanation.

The use of pesticides is "3 to 4 times more frequent", all uses combined, in Overseas France than in mainland France, according to a report from the ANSES health agency published on Monday.

This survey was carried out among 608 households in the Antilles and Reunion in 2015. “As in metropolitan France, the use of pesticides at home is very widespread” in Guadeloupe, Martinique and Reunion, argues ANSES.

The tropical climate favors the proliferation of insects

This is particularly true in Guadeloupe, where “94.8% of households have used pesticides at least once a year”.

This proportion is 70.1% in Reunion Island and 58.3% in Martinique, continues ANSES, according to which "products in the form of aerosols or sprays are the products most frequently used".

According to the health agency, “the tropical climate favors the proliferation of insects such as mosquitoes, cockroaches and ants.

The latter therefore appear to be the main target of treatment ”.

Thus, "a direct comparison of the results between the metropolis and the islands is not very relevant", argues ANSES, precisely because the climatic conditions and the proliferation of insects are very different there.

Products stored but banned since their purchases

The report also reveals that "the share of very high users, that is to say those using pesticides more than twice a week at least, represents nearly 1/3 of households in Reunion, 1/4 in Guadeloupe , and 1/5 in Martinique ”. As in metropolitan France, households in Overseas France stock products bought a long time ago but now prohibited. This is especially true for pesticides for plants, "the purchase of which can sometimes be 10 years or more back". Finally, “in Guadeloupe and Martinique, nearly 80% of unused and expired products are thrown in the trash instead of being taken to a recycling center. On the island of Reunion, this figure reaches 60% ”.

Note that this report is the section devoted to Overseas Territories of a survey called Pesti'home, the conclusions of which for the metropolis had been published in 2019. It showed that 75% of the 1,500 households in the metropolitan survey had used in less one pesticide in the previous 12 months, whether they are products for plants, against insects, rodents or parasites such as fleas or lice.

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  • Environment

  • The meeting

  • Guadeloupe

  • Martinique

  • Overseas

  • Pesticides

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