An ex-steward will attack the Australian state after declaring Parkinson’s disease. According to him, insecticides sprayed in aircraft cabins are the cause.
Brett Vollus spent 27 years of his life with Qantas, Australia’s leading airline. But the 52-year-old steward had to take early retirement last May. He has Parkinson’s disease. And this employee has just attacked the Australian State to which he blames his illness. This government has in fact been practicing disinsection of planes for years using insecticides. Products that are dangerous for human health, as the international literature recently recalled.
Sprays “at least” every 15 days
In an interview with AFP, Brett said he had no history of Parkinson’s in his family. According to him, he would have contracted this disease “because of his exposure to the insecticide which he sprayed in the cabins on long-haul routes at least once every two weeks for 17 years”, indicates his lawyer, Me Tanya Segelov This hygiene measure has been an international practice since the 1920s. According to his advice, the medical literature establishes a link between Parkinson’s, other neuromotor diseases and insecticides.
Pesticides harm the health of farmers
A recent report from the nserm has, in fact, confirmed the danger of pesticides and insecticides on the health of farmers and residents of agricultural areas. Exposure to these substances is believed to be associated with the development of cancers and neurodegenerative diseases.
Inserm relied on a multidisciplinary group of experts. Based on data published over the past 30 years, there appears to be a positive association between occupational exposure to pesticides and certain pathologies in adults. On the one hand, an increased risk of prostate cancer exists among farmers, workers in pesticide production plants and rural populations (between 12 and 28%, depending on the population). For other cancers, an excess risk of leukemia cannot be ruled out, the report stresses.
In addition, an increased risk of developing Parkinson’s disease has been observed in people occupationally exposed to pesticides. “A link has been demonstrated in particular during exposure to insecticides and herbicides”, specified the Institute.
French airlines on display, too?
Finally, concerning France, the Ministry of Health indicates on its website that the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends the use of permethrin and D-phenothrin “because of the low risk of toxicity for humans. , their strong insecticidal potential at low doses and the rapidity of the desired effects. “
He recalls, in this regard, that “the countries from which the planes must be disinsected are notably those where malaria is rife (…), and where the dengue and chikungunya viruses circulate. “
In its defense, the Australian Department of Health also claims to comply with WHO guidelines and ensures that the products used by the Qantas company are considered harmless to health by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Drugs Control Authority. .
.
