Thirty parents of students from the Orbiel Valley (Aude) gathered Friday in front of the hospital in Carcassonne to request new screenings after the announcement by the ARS of overexposure to arsenic. about 40 children.
Local residents' fears of possible run-off from the former Salsigne arsenic mine were confirmed at the end of June, with the discovery of higher than average arsenic levels in three children attending school in Salsigne. Mas-Cabardès and Lastours.
Thirty-five more, out of 103 children under 11 years old, have since been diagnosed with a urine content per gram of creatinine greater than 10 micrograms / gram - the reference value - according to the Regional Agency. (ARS) Occitanie, which has set up a surveillance system.
ARS has recommended a second test within two months for overexposed children
Behind a sign showing the chemical symbol of arsenic to denounce "As + ARS = RAS", the group had come to accompany the parents of the first concerned children who brought urine samples for a control test.
The LRA has recommended a second test within two months for overexposed children to determine whether established rates are evidence of recent or chronic exposure.
Several parents have expressed to the media their concern, some claiming that screening is also in place for adults and bringing samples, which will be tested at their expense.
"It creates an anxiety-provoking climate"
"We follow the protocol of the ARS for children, but as an adult, we would also like to know how much we are exposed," said Emeline Févotte, delegate of parents Lastours, whose children were tested at 27 and 36 μg / g creatinine last June.
"We are destabilized, it creates a climate of anxiety because we do not know how to avoid contact" with sources of pollution, she said.
Laurie Bauer of Conques-sur-Orbiel, who will re-check her son next month (14 μg / g creatinine), says she will also be screened occasionally. Same thing for Laurence François, from the same locality, who expresses his dismay: only one of the two children of the couple has a higher rate than the norm "while they live in the same conditions".
"It's been 23 years since we led the fight" to denounce the pollution of the site, "all this could have been avoided" laments Guy Augé, president of the association of residents of Salsigne, also present.