Chemical pollution: environmental lawmaker asks government about its impact on fertility

He calls on the government to “face up” to the problem of chemical pollution to combat infertility. During a press conference at the National Assembly this Wednesday, environmental MP Nicolas Thierry presented a proposed European resolution to revise the Reach regulation, which regulates hazardous chemicals in the European Union.

“A cornerstone of the fight against toxic substances”, Reach is a “formidable tool” that nevertheless needs an overhaul, insisted Gironde MP Thierry, because “today regulation is outdated”. Since it came into force in 2007, “17 years have passed, and shortcomings have appeared. And most importantly, the state of scientific knowledge has improved significantly,” he said.

“Instead of promoting an idea demographic rearmamentInstead, the French government should address the root cause of infertility: chemical pollution,” the elected official said, referring to Emmanuel Macron’s comments in mid-January. In response to the increase in infertility, the Head of State announced during a press conference “a major plan to combat this scourge.” The stated goal is to achieve a “demographic rearmament” for France, where the number of births continues to decline, he said.

The review of the Reach regulations, which has been delayed several times, is eagerly awaited as it is likely to sharply tighten it. However, he does not appear on the European chief executive’s 2024 work calendar. In the proposed European resolution, the environmentalist “asks the French government to give its full voice” against the new postponement of the review, which was welcomed at the time as “guilty of lukewarmness”, he said.