Emeritus professor in public health and environmental health at Paris-Saclay University, Yves Lévi is a member of the National Academies of Medicine, Pharmacy and Technologies. The Foundation of the Academy of Medicine, of which it is vice-president, published in January 2024 The white paper “Environmental chemical pollution and public health: Exhibition and prevention », Accompanied by a glossary, to raise awareness among the general public and decision -makers about this subject.
“Chemical pollution is everywhere”
Where do we find chemical pollutants in our environment ?
Pr Yves Lévi: These pollutants are everywhere: in water, food, air and in many everyday objects. Modern chemistry has enabled extraordinary achievements helping to increase our life expectancy: new products, new materials, new drugs … with undeniable benefits. But, in return, the planet is today widely polluted. Whether we go to the North Pole or in the oceans, There is chemical pollution everywhere.
In addition, the levels affected and the diversity of pollution are very important, which affects our health and that of the environment. Already in 2001, the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POP) considered that we had reached an unacceptable level and therefore began to prohibit it. But the process is too long and complex.
Why is it so long?
Pr yl: Negotiations take place worldwide and, obviously, all chemical lobbies work to prevent or limit these prohibitions. Especially since these subjects take a lot of time to become public.
First, they are scientists who discover the presence of a pollutant, voluntarily or by chance. Then, other laboratories confirm it in the world and, scientific congresses are organized to compare the results. Years pass and reports are published. All this remains too often discreet, until the media seizes it, which leads to information from citizens and therefore a motivation of political and industrial decision -makers.
Today, the serious situation of pollution by les PFASthe per and polyfluoroalkylas or “eternal pollutants” is a lot described rightly. But it has been more than 20 years since scientists have discovered their important presence in certain rivers in Germany.
So of course, we must not panic but rather realize that global development since the 1950s has logically brought General environmental pollution And act quickly to reduce it.
40 % of diseases related to environmental exhibitions
What effects have all these health pollution?
Pr yl: Everything will depend on the type of pollutant. There are two main categories of toxic. Those with threshold effects, of which it is possible to define a level of exposure below which we do not detect toxicity. This makes it possible to determine a limit value, protective of the populations.
And then there is the category of so -called pollutants without threshold. These are in particular Carcinogenic and radioactive products For which it is not possible to fix a value because the risk is present even at very low concentration.
Whether threshold or without threshold, pollutants, most often in mixtures, can cause different diseases. There is obviously Cancerswhich can be due to a particular product – such as Plevers cancer caused by asbestos – or be multifactorial.
Pollutants are also involved in Reproduction disorderswith endocrine disruptors (PE) who act on sex hormones in particular. Besides, PEs can also induce Hormonodependent cancerslike breast cancer.
Pollution also has an influence on the epidemic of diabeteson allergies, on cardiovascular diseases… The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that around 40 % of our diseases are due to environmental exhibitions.
Exhibition: a word to know
Where is research on chemical pollutants?
Pr yl: The challenge is to know what biological effects induce pollutants when you combine exhibitions. Toxicological studies make it possible to know the impact of an individually molecule but Combinations of multiple biological effects, which can be added or canceled, are very complex.
In parallel with chemical dosages, we carry out bioessais which consist in taking a sample from the environment, extracting pollutants and measuring their biological effects on cells or animals, in the laboratory. This allows you to know the impact of the pollutants to which one is exposed even without having the nature of the mixture.
Research lacks funding the challenge major that represents this subject of the multi-exhibition to pollutants. However, let us quote, research budgets on exhibitions at European level, up to more than 100 million euros.
What is the exhibition?
Pr yl: The exhibition designates all the environmental exhibitions to which an individual is subject throughout his life, From conception (intrauterine life) to death.
The ambition of research on the exhibition is therefore to try to measure all the exposure of the populations and to combine them with health data, in order to obtain models and to predict risky situations. So, depending on the place where you live, your work, your diet … it will be possible to calculate the probabilities of risk of developing this or that disease. This will be an exceptional tool for defining and implementing better health and risk reduction strategies.
The right gestures to limit its exposure to chemical pollutants
Is it possible to know what pollutants are we exposed individually?
Pr yl: Almost not and that’s the problem. For example at home, If you burn incense sticks, if you multiply household cleanersyou are exposed to organic volatile compounds (VOC) that they emit, not to mention those from new furniture or DIY workshops.
If you live in a granitic area (central massif, etc.), you can breathe radon, a natural gas that can cause lung cancer. And there, I only quote elements of the home but it is also necessary to take into account the exhibitions at work, in transport …
Can we reduce your exposure?
Pr yl: Yes, but beware it is not a question of feeling guilty the citizen because very large masses of pollutants are issued in the environment by industries and agriculture. In many areas, the citizen has no hands. This is why it takes Act at all levels: that of industrialists, public authorities and citizens. The more the public will be aware of the issues, the more he will be able to influence decision -makers (mayor, deputy, senator, etc.), the more policies will act for the protection of environmental health and that of the populations.
At work, use the protection systems. At home, Each must limit the diffusion of chemicals as much as possible By avoiding, for example, the contact between food and plastic, by stopping broadcasting volatile products, by regularly airing, eliminating dust, ceasing to smoke …
The period of pregnancy and, more broadly the first 1,000 days of life, must be imperatively protected. All these prevention gestures must absolutely be perceived as positive messages in favor of better health.
Moreover, environmental pollution has an impact on human health but also on environmental health and animal health. Damaging one amounts to damaging others. We must therefore take measures to preserve them in the logic of what is called ” a single health ».
How to bring out solutions?
What has changed since the release of the White Paper?
Pr yl: The foundation of the Academy of Medicine organized a restitution session in the National Assembly, which allowed us to dialogue with deputies. Since then, the Assembly has undergone adventures and the health ministers have succeeded.
Our project is to carry out conferences in the provinces with researchers and local elected officials to continue dialogue and bring out health prevention solutions Faced with chemical pollutants.
In parallel, the Academy of Medicine published a report for health and its prevention to be taught at school, in the same way as French or mathematics. The preservation of health must be part of the fundamental lessons Because it is the most precious good that we have.
