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.