Air pollution - Drivers and pressures (France)

Pesticides in the atmosphere

Contamination of the air by pesticides is a new component of air pollution. To date there are no regulations governing pesticides in the ambient air, and no regulatory requirements for monitoring them.

Pesticides may be present in the air due to evaporation from the soil or from plants, wind erosion and scattering during application. Since 2000, France's Approved Air Quality Monitoring Associations have been studying and measuring the behaviour of pesticides in the ambient air. Although the monitoring is still being harmonised at national level all the studies carried out to date show the presence of pesticides in the atmosphere.