The substances potentially dangerous to human health, including the controversial weedkiller glyphosate were found in nappy tests by France’s national health agency Anses.
The French authority reported it has found glyphosate in babies’ nappies, and its level exceeds safety threshold. Among glyphosate, the laboratory test has found other potentially dangerous substances during the nappy tests. According to Asnes, their test was the first of its kind in the world. The chemicals pose the possible risks to babies whose first three years linked to the nappies’ wearing on daily basis (some 4,000 such nappies).
Anses urged to get rid of some of the chemicals added intentionally such as perfumes, the aggressive substations like lilial and lyral, aromatic hydrocarbons, dioxins and furans often cause skin allergies.
Despite such an alarming tests results, Agnès Buzyn, France’s Health Minister, said there was “no serious or immediate risk” to babies’ health. “Obviously we should continue putting nappies on our babies. We’ve been doing that for at least 50 years,” she said and added the government would accept a delay of up to six months for production methods to change.
The nappy manufacturers were given only 15 days to set an action plan aimed at getting rid of the toxic substances from nappies. Anses report did not name the brands it tested, beyond saying it was representative of the French market. Some nappy brands available in France are also sold in other countries.
