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Les sources de pollution

Les sources de pollution

Commissariat général au développement durableJan 28, 2026

L’air que nous respirons, l’eau que nous buvons, les sols que nous cultivons : tous peuvent être contaminés par des substances nocives. Pesticides, métaux lourds, microplastiques, perturbateurs endocriniens ou encore bruit et radioactivité… Les sources de pollution sont nombreuses, parfois bien connues, parfois émergentes. Panorama des principales pollutions et des dispositifs mis en place pour les surveiller en France.

The air we breathe, the water we drink, the soils we cultivate: all can be contaminated by harmful substances. Pesticides, heavy metals, microplastics, endocrine disruptors, and even noise and radioactivity… The sources of pollution are numerous, sometimes well-known, sometimes emerging. An overview of the main pollutions and the systems put in place to monitor them in France.
2 chapters
  • What are the main sources of pollution?
    Introduction
    Environmental pollution comes from many substances and sources. Some are well-known and have been monitored for a long time, such as air pollution or pesticides. Others, more recent or emerging, pose new challenges for monitoring and research. Here is an overview of the main sources of pollution.
    Outdoor air pollution
    Fine particles, nitrogen dioxide, ozone… Air can contain pollutants harmful to our health and the environment. Atmospheric pollution is one of the main environmental threats to health in France.
    Pesticides
    Used to protect agricultural crops, pesticides can contaminate water, soils, and air, and accumulate in living organisms. They are closely monitored due to their effects on human health and ecosystems.
    Heavy metals
    Cadmium, mercury, lead… These toxic metals, known as heavy metals, accumulate in the environment and can harm our health, even at very low doses.
    Plastic waste
    Every year, hundreds of millions of tons of plastics are produced, consumed, and released into the environment. Once abandoned, these waste materials fragment, persist in natural environments, and can contaminate soils, water, or wildlife.
    Drug residues
    Medications we consume are not entirely eliminated by our bodies or by wastewater treatment plants. Some of these active substances end up in wastewater, rivers, or soils, with effects still poorly understood on wildlife, flora, and our health.
    Nanomaterials
    Nanomaterials are everywhere: in sunscreens, paints, and even some foods. Their potential impact on health or the environment is now subject to enhanced monitoring.
    PFAS
    Often called "forever chemicals," these substances are used in many everyday products. They break down very slowly and accumulate in organisms.
    Endocrine disruptors (BPA and DEHP)
    Endocrine disruptors are invisible but present in many objects in our daily lives: packaging, toys, cosmetics… By mimicking or blocking our natural hormones, endocrine disruptors can disrupt the functioning of our bodies.
    Noise
    Often underestimated, noise is an invisible but omnipresent pollution. It can affect quality of life and cause sleep disorders, stress, or cardiovascular diseases.
    Electromagnetic waves
    Electromagnetic waves are all around us: mobile phones, cell towers, Wi-Fi, microwaves… Their effect on health is subject to ongoing monitoring and research.
    Radioactivity
    It can be natural (such as radon, present in soils) or of human origin, linked to nuclear facilities. In both cases, monitoring is essential to prevent exposure.
    Asbestos
    Long used in construction, asbestos is now banned. But it remains present in many buildings and can be dangerous when it degrades and releases fibers into the air.
  • How are pollutants monitored in France?
    Introduction
    To understand the state of our environment and guide public policy, France relies on an extensive monitoring network deployed for over 30 years. This network covers the entire territory, including overseas regions, and measures the quality of air, water, and soils, as well as releases from human activities.
    Soils monitored at 2,000+ sites
    Soil quality is evaluated through a national monitoring network established in 2000. Approximately 2,200 sites are regularly distributed across the entire territory on a 16 km grid. Each site is analyzed every 15 years to detect the presence of pollutants and track their evolution over time.
    Millions of water analyses
    • The condition of rivers, lakes, groundwater, and coastal waters is monitored under the Environmental Code. Approximately 11,600 surface water bodies and 690 groundwater bodies are subject to regular analysis. This represents more than 21 million analyses per year, three-quarters of which target pesticides. • Tap water is also monitored, this time under the Public Health Code. In 2022, more than 18 million analyses were carried out in drinking water distribution networks.
    Dense network for outdoor air monitoring
    In 2022, nearly 600 stations measured the concentrations of regulated pollutants at the European level, as well as certain pollutants of national interest, such as black carbon or certain pesticides. Other substances are also monitored in specific activity zones, such as waste treatment facilities. Since 2008, approximately 20 measurement stations have monitored the chemical composition of particles in urban areas across the entire territory.
    Growing attention to indoor air quality
    The quality of air in homes, schools, and workplaces has been studied since 2001. The Observatory for Indoor Environmental Quality (OQEI) conducts measurement campaigns to better understand the origin of pollutants present inside buildings.
    Monitoring polluting facilities
    • Wastewater treatment plants and industrial or agricultural sites must monitor the pollutants they release into the environment. More than 22,600 treatment plants measure the quality of their discharges, and more than 15,200 sites report their emissions annually in a national registry. • Finally, France maintains a database of more than 9,500 polluted sites and soils to improve knowledge and long-term management of these pollutions.

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