News

There are many potential pollutants of indoor air that can have an impact on both health and well-being. Problems may simply be bothersome (olfactive discomfort, sleepiness, eye and skin irritation) or may cause or worsen a number of serious pathologies. To handle the challenges to health posed by indoor air quality and provide the public authorities with matter to help manage this risk, ANSES has been working since 2004 on the establishment of indoor air guideline values (IAGVs). Following the publication in March of proposed IAGVs for nitrogen dioxide (NO2), ANSES today publishes two proposed IAGVs corresponding to short- and long-term exposures to acrolein.

Processionary caterpillars are insects, found in several regions of France, including urban areas, whose proliferation compromises the health of the trees on which they feed. They also have an effect on human and animal health as their urticating bristles cause skin irritations by provoking severe itching and allergic reactions. The Agency today publishes an Opinion indicating that, since insecticides cannot be used in urban areas, the most effective strategy for combating these caterpillars in urban areas involves a combination of preventive methods (planting policies in urban areas, methods for early detection, etc.) and curative methods (caterpillar traps, destruction of their nests, providing nesting boxes for insectivorous birds, etc.). The degree of intervention needs to be modulated to match the frequentation of the areas concerned: methods designed to eradicate the caterpillars in busy areas and to keep them under control in other places.

While the undesirable effects of high noise levels on hearing are well known, noise can have other, non-auditory effects on health, which can occur at lower levels and are observed in the vicinity of transport or industrial infrastructures, for example. In response to a joint request from the Ministries of the Environment and Health, in an Opinion published today the Agency proposes a method for assessing the non-auditory health effects of noise. The method is intended for use at local level so that greater consideration can be given to the non-auditory effects of environmental noise when examining development plans for these infrastructures.

With the growing popularity of “fish pedicures”, in which fish are used to nibble away particles of dead skin, ANSES was requested by the Ministry of Health to assess the health risks involved in this kind of procedure. In an Opinion published today, the Agency recommends strictly regulating this practice in order to prevent the risk of infection to users and professionals.