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A new law in France allowing the reintroduction of a banned pesticide has sparked a massive response for a petition opposing it, which on Saturday had gathered more than 600,000 signatures.<\/p>\n
The so-called “Duplomb law” has stirred public anger for permitting a return of acetamiprid — a chemical known to be toxic to pollinators such as bees and to ecosystems. It was adopted on July 8 but has not yet come into effect.<\/p>\n
The legislation, named after the conservative lawmaker who proposed it, was presented in parliament as a measure to “reduce constraints” on French farmers.<\/p>\n
But its move to bring back acetamiprid prompted a 23-year-old master’s student to launch a petition against it which quickly snowballed, gathering support from many people, including actors and several leftwing lawmakers.<\/p>\n
The French parliament’s official website showed it had accumulated more signatures than any other. At 8:30 pm (1830 GMT) Saturday the counter had passed 620,000.<\/p>\n
The petition’s author, Eleonore Pattery, who describes herself as “a future environmental health professional”, called the new law a “scientific, ethical, environmental and public health aberration”.<\/p>\n
“It represents a frontal attack on public health, biodiversity, the coherence of climate policies, food security, and common sense,” she said.<\/p>\n
– A ‘bee killer’ –<\/p>\n
Acetamiprid has been banned in France since 2018, but remains legal within the European Union.<\/p>\n
The insecticide is particularly sought after by beet and hazelnut growers, who say they have no alternative against pests and face unfair competition.<\/p>\n
On the other hand, beekeepers have described the chemical as “a bee killer”.<\/p>\n
Its effects on humans are also a source of concern but, in the absence of large-scale studies, its risks remain unclear.<\/p>\n
The petition calls for the “immediate repeal” of the law and a “citizen-led consultation involving health, agricultural, environmental and legal stakeholders”.<\/p>\n
Petitions do not in themselves trigger a review or repeal of the legislation but unprecedented public support may prompt renewed parliamentary discussion on the matter.<\/p>\n
Under French rules, if a petition reaches 500,000 verified signatures, the National Assembly may choose to hold a public debate limited to the content of the petition itself.<\/p>\n
In late June, before the law’s passage, several thousand demonstrators \u2014 including farmers, environmental organisations and scientists \u2014 rallied across France calling for the bill to be withdrawn.<\/p>\n
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