550,000 tons of solvents have been used in France in 2004. This information was revealed on June 30 by a study released by the French Institute for Research and Safety (Institut National de Recherche et de Sécurité-INRS). This report is the first attempt to categorise the solvents used in France.
The number of employees exposed to solvents is increasing : between 1994 and 2003, it has risen from 12,3 % to 14,7 %, mainly in the industry and the building sectors.  44 % of the solvents are used to produce paints, glaze and ink, 17 % are used in the perfume and cosmetics industry and 13 % in the agricultural sector.  A lot of work has to be achieved for a better understanding of the consequences on the health of workers who are exposed to products containing small quantities of solvents. The next step is the publishing on the Internet next year of a data base called Solvex, which will collect about 300,000 scientific data on solvents.  

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