Acute leukaemia in children: call for the use of certain pesticides to be restricted
13.7.2022
Question for written answer E-002565/2022
to the Commission
Rule 138
Aurélia Beigneux (ID)
The Géocap-Agri epidemiological study, which Santé publique France has been conducting in partnership with the French National Institute for Health and Medical Research (Inserm) for three years now, seems to confirm that there is a link between the use of pesticides and cancer in children. Drawing in particular on the French National Registry of Childhood Cancers and geo-location data, it shows that as the area of land cultivated within a 1-km radius of a child's home increases, so does the risk of becoming ill.
Inserm already confirmed in 2021 that there was considerable evidence of there being a link between pesticide exposure and acute leukaemia and brain tumours in children. In view of these findings, there is question of whether the legislative texts regulating the use of pesticides should be revised.
EU legislation is sometimes vague about the distance required between treated land and the nearest houses.
My question is twofold:
- 1.Does the Commission see a link between the use of pesticides and the increase in acute leukaemia in children living near treated vineyards?
- 2.Is it aware of the aforementioned study? If so, what measures will be taken to combat childhood cancer?