It all started with study, published in October 2020 by researchers Gilles-Éric Séralini and Gérald Jungers. It highlights the presence of toxic substances, such as arsenic and heavy metals, in fourteen herbicides sold in stores to individuals, substances not declared on the labels. A criminal complaint has been filed in December. These substances are present in doses sufficient to cause tumors or immune diseases
, denounces Professor Séralini. The group of associations behind the procedure, called Toxic secrets, now wants to go further by questioning the pesticide evaluation system.
The problem is the application of European legislation, explains lawyer Guillaume Tumerelle. Because as specified by the European Court of Justice in a decision of 1is October 2019, all the active ingredients must be analyzed, as well as the cocktail effects, that is to say the cumulative effects between the substances contained in the same product.
A letter to Efsa
However, Efsa, the European Food Safety Agency, only analyzes the active substance of a product, that which is indicated on the label. A lack pointed out today by activists, now supported by 119 elected European and French. Thursday February 25, they sent a letter to EFSA, demanding the implementation of a procedure taking into account these cocktail effects.
This is very important, because it is about the health of people and ecosystems, ”warns Michèle Rivasi, MEP Les Verts and signatory of the letter.
The agency has two months to respond. Then, the elected officials plan to seize the Court of Justice of the European Union or the European Parliament.
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