It poisons bedbugs and cockroaches… But also men. An insecticide is the cause of increasing poisonings which can sometimes be fatal, notes a study by ANSES and poison control centers unveiled on Tuesday. “Despite its ban in France in 2013 for household uses, poison control centers recorded 170 events linked to the product Sniper 1000 EC DDVP® from January 1, 2018 to June 30, 2023. In all, 206 people were exposed over this period », Indicates the ANSES press release.
In question: dichlorvos, an active substance from the organophosphate family, classified as fatal by inhalation and toxic by contact with the skin or by ingestion. It can in particular cause respiratory symptoms such as asthma, ocular symptoms, neurological disorders which can lead to loss of consciousness, and a skin allergy.
An increase in contamination linked to this insecticide since 2018
Banned since 2013 in insecticides for household use, dichlorvos can still be purchased – notably under the name Sniper 1000 EC DDVP® – via “illegal circuits” such as in markets and bazaars, particularly in the north of Paris and in Seine-Saint-Denis and, “to a lesser extent”, on e-commerce platforms. It can also be brought from abroad (outside the EU) or given by a third party.
Poisonings due to this insecticide have experienced “an increase” since 2018, with in particular 104 cases declared between January 2022 and June 2023, to “take into account the increase in infestations by bedbugs”, notes the press release. 11% of households were infested between 2017 and 2022, ANSES estimated in July.
The Lyon public prosecutor’s office opened a preliminary investigation for “involuntary manslaughter”, “endangering the lives of others” and “unauthorized sale of a dangerous product” after the discovery of the insecticide Sniper 1000 at a person’s home elderly deceased, a judicial source told AFP at the end of November.