Dangerous chemicals are contaminating France's water supply at levels far worse than previously known, with dozens of toxic pesticide byproducts going unchecked, an environmental group is warning.
In a report this week, the NGO Générations Futures found that 56 pesticide byproducts known as metabolites – substances formed when chemicals break down – are not being monitored in groundwater or drinking water, despite likely exceeding legal safety limits.
Their analysis, based on research from French health and safety agency, found these metabolites probably contaminate groundwater above the legal limit of 0.1 microgrammes per litre.
The substances can seep into soil, surface water and groundwater before making their way into drinking water supplies.
Twelve of the unmonitored metabolites pose particular risks – including trifluoroacetic acid (TFA), which was found at alarming levels in Paris.
"With our colleagues from the Pesticides Action Network Europe, we have taken samples of river water and tap water, and analysed for TFA ... and we found it in many places, in very large quantities," François Veillerette, of Générations Futures, told RFI.
"We found TFA at over two micrograms per litre [in the Seine] ... and in tap water, about the same quantity. So two micrograms per litre is 20 times the [legal limit of] 0.1 micrograms per litre," he said.
The findings raise questions about whether some French regions face higher contamination risks than others.
"The work isn't finished on our side ... because we've pointed out a global risk [that has been highlighted] by a lack of research," said Veillerette.
"We're writing to all the regional health agencies ... to monitor [the presence] of such metabolites. We're in the process of doing region-by-region analysis."
The threat spans nationwide – water quality in at least one third of France is at risk from TFA contamination alone.
Unknown health risks
TFA comes from the breakdown of "forever chemicals" called PFAS, found in pesticides, non-stick coatings and cosmetics.
The NGO warned French authorities cannot ignore TFA's dangers, noting that German health officials suggest classifying it as toxic for reproduction.
More worrying still is the uncertainty around long-term exposure to these substances in drinking water.
"What is really astonishing is that it is an 'unknown' ... nobody knows [the potential effects] because there are no requisite studies on metabolites," said Veillerette, warning that if research comes too late and "they're everywhere, then there's nothing we can do".
While data on safe levels remains insufficient, the group cautions these chemicals accumulate over time and could create a dangerous "cocktail effect".
"We should at least monitor the possible appearance of metabolites immediately, so that we don't face a nasty surprise 10 years down the line," said Veillerette.
Government backtrack
Générations Futures wants immediate action to improve monitoring and reduce pesticide use, as outlined in France's 2008 Ecophyto plan.
As one of the people who negotiated and drafted the plan, Veillerette said that while it aimed to cut pesticide use by 50 percent in 10 years, it failed to deliver.
"At the beginning of the year, former prime minister Gabriel Attal gave into pressure from agricultural lobby groups during farm demonstrations and decided to scrap the old health indicators and replace them with European [Core Health] indicators ... which are misleading, showing decreases even when there has been no decrease in pesticide use at all ... which is completely absurd," he said.
"But to make peace with the farming unions, [Attal] gave in very quickly."
With France's water safety at stake, experts are warning this invisible but growing crisis demands urgent attention.
