Pesticides Found in French Clouds Raise Global Health Concerns

A landmark study has detected dozens of pesticides — including ten banned in the EU — in cloud water samples collected over France, raising alarm over how far agricultural chemicals travel and how long they persist. Published in Environmental Science & Technology, the research revealed herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, and breakdown products in every cloud sample tested, with two exceeding Europe’s safe drinking water limits.

Researchers estimate French skies may hold 6–139 tons of pesticides at any moment, mostly from long-range drift rather than local farms. Clouds not only transport pesticides but transform them into new compounds, which then return to Earth via rain or snow.

Many of the detected substances, including atrazine and metolachlor, have been banned for years, suggesting cross-border contamination. Scientists warn that these findings highlight a serious public health threat, especially for children, and call for stricter global monitoring and regulation.

16-09-2025