Latest news with #acetamiprid
Times
2 days ago
- Health
- Times
France buzzes with anger over reversal of pesticide ban
T he hives lie at the foot of trees that rise around a secluded garden in a small town on the edge of the Paris region. The leaves are still moist from overnight rain and the silence is broken only by the clucking of hens as they cross the lawn. Yet if Carolyn Bouguet's home in Saint-Chéron is a picture of rural tranquillity, her mood is one of anguish and anger after France's parliament passed a law authorising the reintroduction of a banned pesticide. She says the product — acetamiprid — is a threat to the bees that she has kept in her garden for the past decade, and also a danger for biodiversity and human health. 'I guess my biggest fear is that I am waiting for the roulette wheel to turn on which ailment I'm going to be given,' she said.
France 24
21-07-2025
- Politics
- France 24
Can a French citizen's petition reverse the reintroduction of a banned pesticide?
The French National Assembly on July 8 adopted the divisive "Duplomb law", named after the conservative lawmaker Laurent Duplomb who proposed it. The draft law was presented in parliament as a bid to "reduce constraints" on French farmers, who have repeatedly expressed frustration over bureaucratic constraints on the agricultural sector, unfair foreign competition, and stringent regulations. But some farmers, environmentalists and medical experts have criticised many of the law's proposals – particularly one provision that proposes to reintroduce the insecticide acetamiprid, a chemical known to be toxic to pollinators such as bees and to ecosystems – which was banned in France in 2018. The contentious provisions spurred 23-year-old masters student Eleonore Pattery to launch a petition against the law on July 10, which brought the bill to the public's attention. The petition's author, who describes herself as "a future environmental health professional", called the new law a "scientific, ethical, environmental and public health aberration". "It represents a frontal attack on public health, biodiversity, the coherence of climate policies, food security, and common sense," she said. At the time of writing, the petition had collected more than 1.5 million signatures – higher than any other petition published on France's official National Assembly site so far. The reintroduction of acetamiprid – an insecticide that belongs to a class of synthetic chemicals similar to nicotine called neonicotinoids, often shortened to "neonics" – is the most divisive provision of the law. Neonics were developed in the 1980s to target the central nervous system of insects and disrupt nerve function. These insecticides are extremely effective against a wide range of pests like aphids and grubs, and have been used globally since the 1990s. In France, they are widely used by beetroot and hazelnut growers. However, they come with a list of caveats that harm biodiversity and human health, according to experts. Unlike contact pesticides that coat the surface of a plant, neonics are absorbed by the plant and distributed through its leaves, flowers, pollen, and nectar. While this makes them very effective against pests, they also cause impaired navigation, reduced learning, weakened colony health and death among bees. Various beekeeping organisations have urged citizens to fight against the law for this very reason and have branded the chemical "a bee killer". Scientists also say that neonicotinoids tend to remain inside the soil and hurt non-target species i.e., insects and animals that don't hurt crop yield but play an essential role in maintaining ecological balance. However, the invertebrates aren't the only ones at risk. A growing body of research shows that neonicotinoids impact human nervous systems too. Hundreds of doctors and researchers have signed an open letter published by French healthcare organisation Médecins du Monde that says the law fails to address the collapse of biodiversity and the impact on farmers' health. The letter specifically mentions three chemicals: acetamiprid, flupyradifurone and sulfoxaflor. 'The primary consequence of these dysfunctions is an increased risk for farmers of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), myeloma, prostate cancer, Parkinson's disease, and neurodevelopmental disorders, to take just a few examples, while the precautionary principle (and the European regulation) requires that no marketing authorisation be issued in the event of a risk to human health or biodiversity,' it says. The letter has been backed by The French League Against Cancer and the European Federation of Neurological Associations. 01:34 Environmentalists are also concerned by some of the other provisions of the law. The law claims it will promote the expansion of industrial agriculture by easing permits for large livestock facilities and water reservoirs. Critics say this move will harm smaller family-run operations and is likely to increase greenhouse gas emissions and environmental degradation. The Duplomb law will also implement several long-standing demands from France's largest farm union FNSEA, which has historically supported pesticide use. "We need to maintain our means of production, and I believe there's a lot of exaggeration in the comments being made," the head of FNSEA, Arnaud Rousseau, told franceinfo radio. Growers also argue that acetamiprid, allowed in other EU countries, is vital to fight yellows disease, which cut yields by 30% in 2020 and slashed sugar output. Can a citizen's petition change the law? The number of signatures on Pattery's petition continue to climb, and increasing pressure on the government to revisit the law. The French government has defended the bill, but has been obliged to acknowledge the outcry, amid the rapidly rising number of signatures. In France, petitions with over half a million signatures can prompt a parliamentary debate, but do not require a new vote. National Assembly chairwoman Yael Braun Privet said the government "had to listen to the people. We will hold a debate but this debate will not – it cannot – change the text that was just voted." Former Prime Minister Gabriel Attal has also said he would back a debate. Benjamin Morel, a constitutional expert and lecturer at the University of Paris-Panthéon-Assas agrees, saying that while the petition might lead to a debate, it will not ultimately lead to any change in the text of the law itself: "For the Duplomb law not to be enforced, a new bill would have to be introduced, or the president of the Republic would have to get involved." " Emmanuel Macron could request a new deliberation by Parliament, in accordance with Article 10 of the Constitution," Morel adds. But he believes that the result of the vote would be identical. For now, France's left – the four parties formerly allied under the banner of the New Popular Front – have promised to continue to battle to repeal the Duplomb law. "The fight has only just begun," warned Green Party MP Sandrine Rousseau on franceinfo radio on Monday.
France 24
20-07-2025
- Politics
- France 24
A million people sign French petition against bringing back bee-killing pesticide
The so-called "Duplomb law" has stirred public anger for permitting a return of acetamiprid -- a chemical known to be toxic to pollinators such as bees and to ecosystems. It was adopted on July 8 but has not yet come into effect. A 23-year-old master's student launched the petition against the law on July 10, with support quickly snowballing with the backing of many including actors and several left-wing lawmakers. More than 500,000 people signed it in 24 hours from Saturday and Sunday alone. The law's proponents however argue farmers face too much regulation in France as is, and allowing them to use acetamiprid again would help reduce the constraints they face. National Assembly Speaker Yael Braun-Pivet on Sunday ruled out abandoning the legislation, named after the conservative lawmaker who proposed it, as it would "save a certain number of our farmers". The petition's author, Eleonore Pattery, who describes herself as "a future environmental health professional", called the new law a "scientific, ethical, environmental and public health aberration". "It represents a frontal attack on public health, biodiversity, the coherence of climate policies, food security, and common sense," she said. 'Bee killer' Acetamiprid has been banned in France since 2018, but remains legal within the European Union. The insecticide is particularly sought after by beet and hazelnut growers, who say they have no alternative against pests and face unfair competition. On the other hand, beekeepers have branded the chemical "a bee killer". Its effects on humans are also a source of concern but, in the absence of large-scale studies, its risks remain unclear. The petition calls for the "immediate repeal" of the law and a "citizen-led consultation involving health, agricultural, environmental and legal stakeholders". Petitions do not in themselves trigger a review or repeal of the legislation but unprecedented public support may prompt renewed parliamentary discussion on the matter. Under French rules, if a petition reaches 500,000 verified signatures, the National Assembly may choose to hold a public debate limited to the content of the petition itself. Speaker Braun-Pivet told the broadcaster franceinfo on Sunday she would be in favour of such a debate, but lawmakers "could not in any case go back on the law which has been voted through". In late June, ahead of the law's passage, several thousand demonstrators -- including farmers, environmental organisations and scientists -- rallied across France calling for the bill to be withdrawn.
France 24
19-07-2025
- Politics
- France 24
Bid to bring back pesticide in France sparks unprecedented petition
The so-called "Duplomb law" has stirred public anger for permitting a return of acetamiprid -- a chemical known to be toxic to pollinators such as bees and to ecosystems. It was adopted on July 8 but has not yet come into effect. The legislation, named after the conservative lawmaker who proposed it, was presented in parliament as a measure to "reduce constraints" on French farmers. But its move to bring back acetamiprid prompted a 23-year-old master's student, Eleonore Pattery, to launch a petition against it which quickly snowballed, gathering support from many people, including actors and several leftwing lawmakers. The French parliament's official website showed it had accumulated more signatures than any other. At 6:00 pm (1600 GMT) Saturday the counter had passed 550,000. Pattery, who describes herself as "a future environmental health professional", called the new law a "scientific, ethical, environmental and public health aberration. "It represents a frontal attack on public health, biodiversity, the coherence of climate policies, food security, and common sense," she said. Acetamiprid has been banned in France since 2018, but remains legal within the European Union. The petition calls for the "immediate repeal" of the law and a "citizen-led consultation involving health, agricultural, environmental and legal stakeholders". Petitions do not in themselves trigger a review or repeal of the legislation but unprecedented public support may prompt renewed parliamentary discussion on the matter. Under French rules, if a petition reaches 500,000 verified signatures, the National Assembly may choose to hold a public debate limited to the content of the petition itself. In late June, before the law's passage, several thousand demonstrators — including farmers, environmental organisations and scientists — rallied across France calling for the bill to be withdrawn.
