A Sanofi pharmaceutical plant in the south west of France has been found to have discharged large quantities of the bromopropane neurotoxin into the atmosphere in mid-November.
According to a recent report in French daily newspaper Le Monde, the Sanofi plant in the town of Mourenx released 75 times the authorised amount of bromopropane into atmosphere for one hour on 15 November.
On 6 December, representatives of the company in Mourenx informed the Lacq basin site monitoring committee, which brings together manufacturers, associations, elected representatives and government departments, of these discharges.
According to Patrick Mauboulès, president of the local environmental protection association Sepanso 64, who attended the meeting, "156 mg/m3 of bromopropane, instead of 2 mg/m3", was released into the air for more than 60 minutes.
The World Health Organisation classes bromopropane as a possible carcinogen, mutagen and reprotoxin. It is used as a component in the manufacture of Depakine, an anti-epileptic drug that has been targeted by several associations for its negative effects on pregnant women.
In 2018, the Sanofi plant was shut down following the revelation by the France Nature Environnement association of unusual toxic discharges of sodium valproate, and has been the subject of a public health investigation by the Paris judicial court since August 2022.
"Novembre, l’usine Sanofi de Mourenx (Pyrénées-Atlantiques) qui produit la Dépakine a rejeté dans l’atmosphère du bromopropane dans des quantités qui dépassent de plus de 75 fois la limite autorisée ((156 mg/m3) au lieu de 2 mg/m3) @lemondefr https://t.co/6W9Jvnrf0s
— Anne-Marie Ducroux (@AMDucroux1) December 11, 2023
'Isolated event' caused by heavy rain
Meanwhile, the Sanofi group described the incident as "an isolated and very brief event, linked to the deterioration of activated carbons in the treatment unit following heavy rain that had hit the region in the previous few days."
The company said it had "immediately stopped production and informed the relevant authorities."
Once the carbons – used to treat atmospheric emissions – had been replaced, "bromopropane emissions returned to normal levels," the pharmaceutical group added, pointing out that "this isolated [incident] is the only one recorded since 2018."
When alerted, the French government carried out a "reactive inspection" on 24 November and – after the facilities were restarted on 28 November – a further inspection "during the first three days" of reopening.
Following the inspections, the local prefecture reported that "the results of analyses carried out by an external laboratory show that bromopropane discharges are back in compliance."
@sanofi had to cease operations on its #Mourenx site due to alleged dangerous emissions of bromopropane, potentially causing cancer and respiratory and skin infections. Levels could reach 190,000 times the authorized limit... https://t.co/kmqvlnCBpM @FNEasso #Dépakine
— The Cleantech Initiative (@CleantechTour) July 13, 2018
However, a CGT union delegate, Jean-Louis Peyren, pointed out that the incident still raises questions about the safety of the factory's structure, even though Sanofi were caught out by the police five years ago.
On 15 November, a mother of two children "suffering from neuro-behavioural disorders," who worked "opposite" the Sanofi plant in Mourenx during her pregnancies, lodged a complaint in Paris for "involuntary injury."
