” What do you mean? Nine years of life expectancy gap (at birth) between Champlan and Ballainvilliers? Edith, a retired resident in the smaller of the two towns 5 km apart (2,500 against 3,800 souls), does not believe this figure published by the General Council of Essonne. For her, who has lived there for more than twenty years, it’s “blah”. In its report drawn up within the framework of a territorial diagnosis, the department, drawing up an inventory of the municipalities of Europ’Essonne *, is nevertheless formal. “Life expectancy at birth ranges from 77.9 years for Champlan to 86.8 years for Ballainvilliers,” writes the report. Several reasons can explain these differences: the age structure of the population but also the presence in certain municipalities of an unfavorable environment (high voltage lines, air traffic, motorway junction, factories, NICT relays, etc.). “
These figures, drawn up over the period 2003-2007, were confirmed by those of 2004-2009, where the difference in life expectancy at birth between the two municipalities increases to ten years (79.2 compared to 89 years, 81 years on the Essonne). “There is really a higher mortality in all age groups,” indicates a technician from the regional health observatory (ORS) who worked on the file for the general council. This is not related to the structure of the population, environmental causes can also be invoked. “
With more than 520,000 vehicles and nearly 400 aircraft movements every day in Champlan, a vast epidemiological health and environment survey was carried out in 2006 by the Environment and Energy Management Agency (Ademe). In its conclusions, the study revealed that Champlan had the same level of air pollution as Paris. But less than some neighboring municipalities like Chilly-Mazarin. As for the average exposure of people housed under very high voltage lines, the levels recorded at the time did not exceed the limit values set by Europe.
“There is no difference between living in Massy, Longjumeau or Champlan. It’s like Chernobyl, the clouds don’t stop over Champlan, ”insists Edith. “It is the new arrivals who complain about pollution,” adds Cédric Rousseau, native of Champlan and manager of the café e Village. My grandmother is 92 years old, she is still in good health. “
In the streets of the village wedged between the A 6, A 10, N20 and N188 motorways, it is always the same refrain in the mouths of the inhabitants: “It’s good to live in Champlan!” “Long considered the most polluted village in Ile-de-France, Champlan remains a rural municipality. Its citizens, who are very attached to it, do not want these latest figures to tarnish the reputation of the city again. Starting with its mayor (SE), Christian Leclerc, who disputes the conclusions of the general council (read below).
