"At a time when alarming communications about the collapse of biodiversity in France, Europe and the world are increasing, it seems urgent to draw attention to the potential risks to human health and the environment of the world. use of a class of pesticides, the SDHi (succinate dehydrogenase inhibitors), now widely used as antifungals in agriculture. "
This is essentially the alert launched by a group of researchers, oncologists, doctors, and toxicologists working in the largest French research institutions (CNRS, Inserm, INRA ...) in a forum published on April 15, 2018 in the daily Libération .
What is the problem with SDHi fungicides?
In their line of sight: antifungals that they accuse of blocking an enzyme, the SDH, involved in a key stage of cellular respiration of all living beings, therefore of Man.
Problem: By inhibiting this enzyme, a molecule called succinate accumulates in the body, causing changes in the structure of our DNA . However, "it is known for a long time now that genetic mutations of SDH, resulting in the loss of its activity, are the cause of human diseases," say scientists. Severe encephalopathies, paragangliomas (tumors of the nervous system in the head or neck), predisposition to cancers of the kidney or the digestive system ... could then be the consequences of these epigenetic abnormalities (modification of gene expression).
"How could such pesticides be put on the market with the assurance of having no impact on human health, but also on the entire ecosystem?" Asks the collective. An interrogation formulated with good reason, these modifications being neither detected nor tested during the toxicity tests before the marketing of the pesticides.
The NGO Générations Futures asks to block the entry of processed foods
Scientists therefore call for "suspending use until an assessment of hazards and risks has been made by public bodies independent of manufacturers distributing these compounds and agencies that have previously given marketing authorizations SDHi ".
Questioned by this forum, the NGO Générations Futures has also grabbed the file. In particular, it focused on boscalid (or boscalid), an active substance authorized in the EU since 2008 , and to which the population is widely exposed as its use is permitted "on oilseed crucifers, wheat, wheat, oats, barley, rye, sunflower, apple, almond, cherry, asparagus, carrot, strawberry, lettuce, etc. " It also adds that "boscalid is one of the two most airborne fungicides in PACA in 2016" and that "it is the most frequently quantified pesticide residue in food at European level."
It has therefore expressed its determination to act in two press releases published on April 17 and 24 on its website:
"With regard to the major scientific alert launched by French scientists on the dangerousness of SDHi fungicides and the significant exposure of the population to the main representative of this family, Générations Futures asks the National Agency National Food Safety Sanitary (ANSES ) to immediately suspend the marketing authorizations for products containing boscalide and other SDHis , as a precaution, "says François Veillerette, anti-pesticide activist and spokesman for Générations Futures.
He added: "We also ask that France make use of the safeguard clause provided at European level to prevent the entry of foods treated with substances of this chemical family and request a community review of the approval. of these active substances SDHi Finally, the authorization of the boscalide coming to an end in July this year, we ask France to oppose its re-registration. "
A group of dedicated experts set up by ANSES
Following the publication of the first communiqué of Generations Futures, ANSES wanted to formulate a response to the launchers of this alert, who had already contacted her in November 2017 on this subject. For example, the health authority explained that it had commissioned several experts to gather the available scientific data and to examine those provided by the researchers and to hear them. "One of the objectives of this work will be to assess whether new elements need to be brought to the European level and, if necessary, to take any risk management measures that would appear appropriate," she says.
However, it states that 'like all plant protection active substances, the SDHIs were subject, before their approval at European level and the placing on the market by the Member States of the products containing them, of an evaluation of their toxicity. for mammals (including genotoxicity and carcinogenicity), as well as the potential risks of their uses. "
To be followed closely.
Sources:
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/biorxiv/early/2018/03/29/289058.full.pdf
https://www.generations-futures.fr/actualites/boscalid-sdhi/
https://www.anses.fr/fr/content/fongicides-inhibiteurs-de-la-succinate-déshydrogénase-sdhi-utilisés-en-agriculture-l
