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Doctors Press Government to Slash Cadmium Levels After Third of Toddlers Exceed Safety Threshold

Anses finds cadmium levels in everyday foods exceed safety thresholds, leading experts to demand stricter soil contamination controls.

En Haute-Garonne, en 2015. Le cadmium est un métal retrouvé naturellement dans les sols, notamment à cause des engrais utilisés.
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Présent dans les engrais phosphatés utilisés en agriculture, ce métal lourd contamine les céréales du petit déjeuner, le pain, les pâtes ou encore les pommes de terre.
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Overview

  • URPS-Médecins libéraux alerted authorities on June 2 that cadmium exposure represents a public health scourge, particularly for children under three.
  • Anses data show over 35 percent of children below age three ingest cadmium amounts above the tolerable daily intake, risking cumulative buildup in kidneys and liver.
  • Phosphate fertilizers enriched with cadmium are identified as the main contamination source for staples such as bread, pasta, cereals, vegetables and chocolate.
  • Long-term cadmium exposure is linked to kidney damage, bone fragility, reproductive toxicity and elevated risks of cancers including pancreatic and lung.
  • Doctors and Anses recommend cutting allowable cadmium in phosphate fertilizers from 60 mg/kg to 20 mg/kg, adapting dietary guidelines in canteens and boosting support for organic agriculture.