At the Halloween (North) energy recovery plant, September 20, 2007. Philippe Huguen / Agence France-Presse
Jean-Christophe Destaylor, mayor of Halloween (different center), in the north, is worried. In this city with a population of 22,000 inhabitants, resident in Lille and on the border with Belgium, she is not the only one. Before him, a gastroenterologist stirred heaven and earth for so long that health authorities considered the consequences of thirty-one years of dioxin discharges from the old household waste incinerator located at the entrance from the city.
In his practice, between 2003 and 2005, Dr. Jean Lefevre observed a series of “abnormally high” crabs among his patients living in Halloween, Ronk and Nouvelle-en-Verean, two neighboring towns: “Especially in young women , no exposure.” to genetic factors or risk behaviours”. The closure of the old incinerator in 2002 was still on people’s minds. Four years ago, Danone discovered dioxins in cow’s milk bought from farmers on Halloween. Sixteen head of cattle had to be sacrificed. The scenario was repeated at the end of 2001. The new taxes led the authorities to ban the marketing of vegetables grown in the region, as well as the marketing of milk and eggs.
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Equipped with smoke filtration systems and analysis of dioxin emissions within regulatory limits, the new incinerator at the Energy Recovery Center was put into operation the following year, in 2003, and theoretically it had everything to reassure the neighbors after a crash. But, on Halloween, we’re always wary of smoke.
“Stop eating local products”
As he was regularly questioned about cancer cases in his city, Jean-Christophe Destaylor called for an epidemiological study to be carried out and a cancer registry to be opened. we appreciate it “Only a reliable statistical tool can confirm or invalidate our concerns” He talks about fifty cases “For those who have doubts about their nature, as well as the young age of the patients”. He also asks about breast milk testing “Because there has been no information about it for twenty years.” ! In early August, he wrote to the Regional Health Agency (ARS) “In order to determine whether our cancer rates are higher than anywhere else.”
Dioxins, classified as carcinogens, are persistent organic pollutants in the environment. They are produced during combustion processes, accumulate in the food chain and are included in the World Health Organization’s list of chemical compounds of critical importance. “So I didn’t understand that Halloween wasn’t included in the national study on the occurrence of crabs near burning plants launched by the Institute for Health Watch in 2005” And Dr. Lefevre is still surprised.
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