In brief
The bill passed 144-22 against the government's advice, which favoured a slower reduction to protect agricultural competitiveness.
Anses reports that nearly half of France's population exceeds safe cadmium exposure limits, primarily through cereal-based foods.
The bill aims to end a French exception allowing 90 mg/kg of cadmium in fertilisers, far above the EU's 60 mg/kg norm and Anses's 20 mg/kg recommendation.
The high-cadmium derogation was maintained for economic reasons, securing cheaper phosphate fertiliser imports from Morocco.
The French National Assembly voted overwhelmingly on Wednesday to limit the population's exposure to cadmium, a toxic heavy metal classified as carcinogenic, mutagenic and toxic for reproduction. The bill, adopted in a first reading by 144 votes to 22, sets an ambitious trajectory for reducing permitted cadmium levels in phosphate fertilisers, which accumulate in agricultural soils and contaminate the food supply.
A vote against the government's advice
The text was adopted against the advice of the government, which argued for a slower reduction trajectory, citing risks to the competitiveness of French agriculture. The bill was supported by the entire left, as well as the MoDem, Horizons, and Renaissance groups. The far-right Rassemblement National voted against it.
“Thank you to all the scientists who enlightened us (…). Thank you to the NGO activists who helped us alert public opinion.”
The scale of the contamination
According to the French health security agency Anses, food is the primary source of cadmium exposure in France, particularly through widely consumed cereals like wheat and rice. Prolonged exposure can cause kidney damage, bone fragility, and is recognised as a carcinogen. In 2025, nearly half of the French population had cadmium exposure levels exceeding health reference values, Anses reported.
“It's a very beautiful victory (…) we were all a bit emotional.”
A French exception under pressure
Anses recommends lowering the maximum permitted cadmium content in phosphate fertilisers to 20 mg/kg. The current EU standard is 60 mg/kg, but France operates under a special derogation allowing up to 90 mg/kg. This exception was introduced for economic and trade reasons, notably to maintain supplies of cheaper phosphate raw materials from Morocco, which often exceed European norms. Switching to low-cadmium alternatives, such as those from Scandinavia, would raise production costs.
“The pace of the reduction, as voted today by the national representation, is not realistic.”
Next steps
The bill, authored by Green MP Benoît Biteau, still needs to be scheduled for a reading in the Senate before it can become law. Environmental activist Camille Étienne, present in the gallery during the debate, hailed the vote as proof that citizen mobilisation works.
- Anses recommendation
- 20 mg/kg
- EU standard
- 60 mg/kg
- French derogation
- 90 mg/kg
Data from the article text