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Biocides
17/02/2016 —
News

Exposure to MIT: ANSES recommends that consumers and workers be better informed and protected

Methylisothiazolinone (MIT) is a substance used as a preservative in many commercial mixtures such as detergents, paints and varnishes, and also in mixtures for professional use. It is also found in cosmetic products: its presence must then be mentioned on the packaging. Over the last few years, in France and elsewhere in Europe, an alarming increase in the number of cases of skin allergies to MIT has been observed. Work is currently being conducted on this substance with the aim of proposing a harmonised European classification under the CLP Regulation (on classification, labelling and packaging), as well as in the framework of the Regulation governing the marketing of biocidal products. In this context, ANSES issued an internal request to identify the categories of products entailing the most exposure, with a view to proposing recommendations to limit the exposure of people, whether or not they are already sensitised. In the Opinion it is publishing today, the Agency proposes stronger protection for consumers and workers in the framework of the regulatory work in progress at European level. Besides cosmetics and detergents, for which information is already mandatory, the Agency is recommending that information intended for the general population and professionals be systematically provided on the packaging of mixtures containing MIT. Lastly, ANSES is continuing its work to identify the sectors or jobs entailing the most exposure, with a view to better prevention and protection of exposed professionals.
Glyphosate
12/02/2016 —
News

ANSES's Opinion on the carcinogenic nature of glyphosate for humans

Following publication of the results of the assessment conducted at European level as part of the procedure to renew the approval granted to the active substance glyphosate, and the conflicting results of the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) that concluded that this substance should be classified as "probably carcinogenic to humans", ANSES received a formal request to investigate the hazards posed by glyphosate to human health. In the Opinion it is publishing today, the Agency notes that in light of the limited level of evidence, it is not possible to propose a classification in Category 1A or 1B (respectively, known or presumed to be carcinogenic to humans, CLP Regulation), but that it could arguably be classified in Category 2 (substances suspected of being carcinogenic to humans, CLP). ANSES therefore believes that the classification of glyphosate should be rapidly reviewed by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA). Besides the active substance, the co-formulants found in glyphosate preparations, tallowamine in particular, raise concerns. The Agency is therefore launching an assessment of the risks associated with the co-formulants found in all plant protection preparations, with priority given to glyphosate-based formulations. The Agency will also conduct an immediate reassessment of the marketing authorisations for preparations combining glyphosate and tallowamine.
26/01/2016 —
News

Signature of a memorandum of understanding between ANSES and the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India

On the occasion of the State visit to India of the President of the French Republic, Mr François Hollande, ANSES and the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India signed an agreement to promote exchanges on health risk analysis methodologies and laboratory techniques in the area of food safety, areas in which ANSES has gained international recognition.
Deux vaches dans un pré
22/01/2016 —
News

A new national reference mandate for the Niort Laboratory

The Niort Laboratory, which specialises in diseases in ruminants, now has a new health mission contributing to the certification of French herds: it becomes the reference for detection of bovine hypodermosis (or "warble"). Bovine hypodermosis is a disease with a high economic impact, since it results in losses in dairy production, a significant degradation of animal hides, slower growth and occasional nervous disorders. This new mission supplements the laboratory's existing reference activities, in particular in the context of its two national and two international reference mandates.
Abeilles
13/01/2016 —
News

Neonicotinoids and pollinators: ANSES advocates strengthening the conditions of use of these products.

ANSES has published its conclusions on the risks to bees and other pollinators presented by insecticides based on neonicotinoids. It was asked to investigate this issue by the Ministers of Ecology, Agriculture and Health. The Agency recalls that in the absence of appropriate management measures, the use of neonicotinoids causes severe adverse effects in pollinator species.It emphasises the relevance of the European moratorium decided in 2013. It also notes that there is still a lack of knowledge concerning the impact of these products on bees and other pollinators. In its conclusions, the Agency first identifies all the uses for which the risk to honeybees, bumblebees and wild bees are considered to be low, subject to compliance with certain conditions of use. The Agency also emphasises that there is still considerable uncertainty concerning certain uses, in particular the treatment of seed for winter cereals or the spraying of orchards and vineyards. Pending the results of ongoing work at European level, the Agency recommends strengthening the conditions of use for all the uses about which there remains substantial uncertainty; it also recommends not planting a crop likely to attract pollinators immediately following a crop treated by neonicotinoids.
Alimentation
23/12/2015 —
News

Improving effectiveness of consumer information and prevention of microbiological risks in food

Each year, around one third of the foodborne disease outbreaks reported in France occur in the family environment. Some of these cases are due to domestic practices (inadequate preservation, insufficient cooking or contaminant transfer). Improvements within certain sectors, as well as specific information aimed at consumers, could help reduce the risk associated with certain foodborne diseases. The Directorate General for Food (DGAL) made a formal request to the Agency with the aim of making a substantiated choice from among all the possible communication strategies to be implemented, in relation to certain food health risks and also potential constraints for the sectors in question. The Agency is publishing today the findings of its work. Improving the risk control measures within certain production sectors should be examined as a priority. The Agency is also proposing recommendations on the effectiveness of communication strategies likely to modify consumer behaviour and thus to reduce the microbiological risks associated with food.
Colistine
22/12/2015 —
News

Resistance to antibiotics: new information concerning colistin

Colistin is an antibiotic used in veterinary medicine, particularly in the livestock sector. In human medicine, because of its toxicity, it is only prescribed for the treatment of severe human infections involving bacteria resistant to all other therapeutic options (including bacteria resistant to last-generation cephalosporins and carbapenems). Because of the absence of any mechanism for transferring resistance to colistin between bacteria, recent opinions from both the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and ANSES have not previously recommended including colistin in the list of critically important antibiotics used in veterinary medicine. On 18 November 2015, the first transferable mechanism for resistance to colistin (the mcr-1 gene) was described in China in pigs and chickens, in meat sold at retail, and also among bacterial strains isolated in humans. In the light of this new scientific evidence, the EMA will convene its Antimicrobial Advice Ad Hoc Expert Group in order to revise its Opinion in the matter of the use of colistin in veterinary medicine, published in 2013. Accordingly, ANSES will revise the risk assessment it undertook in its scientific opinion on the classification of colistin as a veterinary antibiotic of critical importance.
Clivage Minéraux
17/12/2015 —
News

What are the health effects on workers of cleavage fragments of quarried minerals?

Cleavage fragments are mineral particles naturally present in rocks used, among other purposes, in public engineering works (road surfacing). Through their chemical composition and their dimensions, some of these can be considered comparable to asbestos fibres. While the effects of asbestos fibres on health are well documented, there is uncertainty regarding the toxicity of cleavage fragments. In addition, current analytical methods cannot easily distinguish between cleavage fragments and asbestos fibres. ANSES was requested by the Ministries of Health, Labour and the Environment to document the exposure of workers to cleavage fragments, the resulting health effects, and the methods or criteria for refining the analyses of materials and air. In the Opinion and the Report published today, the Agency concludes that in the current state of knowledge, cleavage fragments of minerals comparable to regulated forms of asbestos with the same dimensions as asbestos fibres, and also cleavage fragments of certain mineral species not currently regulated, can lead to health effects similar to those caused by asbestos. Against this background, the Agency recommends that these potential effects be taken into account in the applicable regulatory framework.
10/12/2015 —
News

Two tools for prioritising animal diseases available online

Control of animal diseases is a major problem for the public authorities. Whether for public health or economic reasons, it is essential to control the main diseases in order to protect both animal and human populations, since certain animal diseases can be transmitted to humans (zoonoses). In this context, following the national consultation on the health sector (États Généraux du Sanitaire) in 2010, ANSES received a formal request from the Ministry of Agriculture to develop a method for prioritising the animal diseases present in France or likely to be introduced here and to apply it for the different livestock species, based on the available data. In response to this, ANSES developed an initial prioritisation tool that it has applied to a list of 103 diseases for "major" livestock production sectors, and then a second simplified method intended for prioritising animal diseases for "minor" production sectors or those for which there are few available data. These tools are now available online on the Agency's website, in the form of spreadsheets, to enable risk managers and professionals to adapt the prioritisation of animal diseases to precise needs (limited geographical area, etc.) and for specific sectors or sub-sectors (one species of ruminant targeted, for example).

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