France, June 4 -- The draft law, adopted on Wednesday in the National Assembly by 144 votes to 22, sets out a faster timetable to reduce permitted cadmium levels in fertilisers used in agriculture.

The measure passed despite government opposition, with ministers warning that the pace of reduction could harm the competitiveness of French farming.

"There is an overexposure of the French population to cadmium compared to our European neighbours," junior ecology minister Mathieu Lefevre said. However, he argued that "the pace of reduction. is not realistic" and risks undermining "our food sovereignty".

Food is a major source of cadmium exposure, particularly staple foods such as wheat and rice, a report by France's health agency Anses foun...