Pesticides are becoming a problem... "definitive"

The fight against pollution is becoming more and more difficult. The poisoning of soil, water and air by human activities not only affects current generations but also future generations. Perfluoroalkylated and polyfluoroalkylated substances (PFAS), dubbed "eternal pollutants," are increasingly being used in pesticides in the United States, according to a study, a trend that facilitates the spread of these health-toxic elements in the environment. Almost indestructible, PFAS substances accumulate over time and eventually end up in the human body. While regulatory authorities have gradually limited or banned their use in a large number of objects and products, substances used in agriculture - used directly, for example, on fruit and vegetables, before contamination of waterways - are not targeted in United States. This study, published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, calls for their inclusion for better regulation. "The more we look for them, the more we find," Alexis Temkin, co-author of the study and toxicologist at the Environmental Working Group association, told AFP. High exposure to these PFASs can weaken the immune system, reduce fertility or disrupt the hormonal cycle, according to scientists, although information about these substances is still incomplete. For this study, the researchers compiled data not only on the active ingredients of pesticides, but also on the substances - sometimes described as "inerts" - that accompany them, especially adjuvants, which improve their effectiveness in the fields. According to the results, 14% of all ingredients considered as active pesticide ingredients in the US are PFASs, including nearly a third of the active ingredients authorized in the past ten years. Eight substances authorized as adjuvants are PFAS, including Teflon. The company of the same name stopped selling its famous pans in 2013, but the US regulatory authority only recently launched the process to ban Teflon in pesticides. According to another co-author of the study, David Andrews, one of the reasons is that this regulatory authority, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), is less scrupulous compared to the standards adopted by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). an institution that brings together developed countries. The study points out that pesticide and fertilizer packaging also contains "eternal pollutants". The EPA's ban on one of these substances has been blocked by a court. The results of this study are described as "absolutely terrifying news because pesticides are among the most widespread pollutants in the world," according to another co-author, Nathan Donley. "Mixing pesticides with eternal pollutants is like adding an extra burden to the next generation, with more chronic diseases and a cleanup made impossible," he added. Among the recommendations of the study authors are a ban on packaging containing PFAS, greater transparency about the ingredients used and more research on the spread of these pollutants and their impact on health.