Farm pesticides: Map claims to show the French areas most and least exposed

A new searchable map of pesticide use around France has been published by an environmental group, with departments in the north and west of the country revealed to be particularly affected.

The map draws on the sales data from 2015 to 2022 for a range of pesticides (products are named) deemed potentially harmful - or possibly cancerogenic - for human health at certain levels.

The data used in the map does not suggest that there is an imminent health risk in these areas.

“As long as the volume of spray used is not made public, the data on pesticide purchases is the best available indication of where these substances are actually used,” says Générations

Futures, which published the map in December.

The searchable tool, available here, indicates pesticide purchases by department over the period for pollutants considered to be:

The pesticide purchases are given by chemical compound in tonnes or relative to the total area taken up by arable land and permanent crops (Utilised Agricultural Area).

Read more: Pesticide poison victims in France asked to join legal action

Unsurprisingly, the tool identifies that pesticide purchases correspond with high levels of agricultural activity, meaning that areas with cereal crops or grape vines, also have high

pesticide use

Caption: While Gironde appears to stand out, the worst offenders for dangerous pollutants overall are Eure-et-Loir, Marne and Somme.

Lowest (excluding Paris) : Corse-du-Sud, Alpes-Maritimes and Lozère

Lowest  (excluding Paris) : Alpes-Maritimes, Corse-du-Sud and Lozère

Lowest (excluding Paris): Cantal, Lozère and Alpes-Maritimes

Lowest (excluding Paris): Lozère, Alpes-Maritimes and Hautes-Alpes

Lowest  (excluding Paris): Lozère, Alpes-Maritimes and Corse-du-Sud

Read more: French rural residents ‘must be protected from pesticides’

Générations Futures plans to update the map in January with data down to a commune-by-commune level.