France implements stricter cadmium limits in fertilizers

France is implementing new measures to combat cadmium contamination, a toxic heavy metal linked to cancer that enters the food chain through soil and crops. The government has announced a plan to progressively reduce the allowed cadmium levels in phosphate fertilizers, aiming to reach a limit of 20 mg/kg by 2030. This decision follows years of warnings from health authorities regarding the accumulation of the metal in everyday foods such as bread, pasta, and cereals.

Parallel to these regulatory changes, a national early detection campaign for cadmium exposure has seen limited participation. Since the French health insurance began covering the costs of urine tests in June, only 2,160 people have been tested. Challenges to the screening program include the requirement for a medical prescription, physician skepticism regarding the predictive value of test results, and difficulties in identifying specific geographic areas with officially recognized soil contamination.