France Plans Cadmium Limits in Fertilizers After ANSES Flags Widespread Exposure

Overview

• France’s agriculture ministry, following Wednesday’s ANSES report, said decrees will phase the fertilizer cap from 90 mg/kg to 60 mg/kg in 2027, 40 mg/kg in 2030, and 20 mg/kg before 2038 pending an impact study and a Council of State review.
• ANSES found about half of adults exceed health reference values for cadmium, with diet driving up to 98% of exposure in non‑smokers and concerning levels seen at all ages including very young children.
• The agency identifies phosphate fertilizers as the main source of soil contamination, noting France’s long reliance on Moroccan phosphate rock that is richer in cadmium and helps explain levels three to four times higher than in some neighboring countries.
• The fertilizer industry says it has cut phosphate use for decades, is developing cadmium‑removal processes, and can meet lower thresholds, while warning that technical fixes carry costs and cannot solve legacy soil loads quickly.
• ANSES urges action at the source because staples like bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, and some vegetables absorb cadmium from soils, individual diet swaps have limited impact, and long‑term risks include kidney damage, bone loss, and a projected rise in osteoporosis without stricter controls.