During the summer, two articles featuring HEAL appeared in the US. One was an interview with Genon Jensen, HEAL’s Executive Director on the website of our California-based partner, the Collaborative on Health and Environment. It describes how Genon became involved in health and environment and the work of HEAL now. Read the interview, CHE partner spotlight “Genon Jensen: Helping People and Planet Through HEAL”.

The second article “European view nurtured by Nebraska roots” is based on an interview with Genon while she was in her home in Nebraska. The Grand Island Independent reflected HEAL’s core mission in quoting Genon as saying: “We need to think wisely about the chemicals we use - and factor in the health costs that may be on society 50 years down the road.”

Flame retardants

European Voice (26 June 2008) asked “Are lobbyists playing with fire?” about the struggle between industry and NGOs over the banning of flame retardants. It quotes Christian Farrar-Hockley, Senior Policy Adviser on flame retardants, which pose more dangers to health than the fires they prevent. HEAL was also involved in developing a follow-up letter to the editor of the European Voice signed by Tony Long, WWF European Policy Office. It argued: “European decision-makers are well advised to take note of the latest science rather than heavily funded industry lobby campaigns.”

Endocrine disruptors

UK national Daily Express, Friday 27 June 2008 carried a report entitled “Sun lotion threat to children”, which quoted both Elizabeth Salter Green, Chem Trust and Diana Smith, Communications and Media, HEAL, on concerns and necessary policy action on endocrine disruptors, such as some chemicals that act as UV filters in sunscreens.

REACH

Chemicals Watch, a news organisation with a remit to help businesses with compliance under REACH and other chemicals legislation, covered the launch of the SIN (Substitute It Now!) List on 17 September by creating direct links to the HEAL project, Chemicals Health Monitor. Several other articles about the SIN List launch, including an article in Europolitics, featured the list of public interest groups involved in the development of the list, which includes HEAL.

Climate change

Why isn’t health on the agenda at the Gastein European Health Forum? The European Parliament magazine, 29 September 2008, includes an article by Genon K. Jensen entitled: “Health warning: the effects of climate change could overwhelm health services”. The issue will be distributed at the Gastein conference, 1-4 October.

Media coverage of our “Climate change and the challenges for public health: engaging the regions” meeting organised with the European Regional Local Health Authorities (EUREGHA) in June 2008 continues with articles in two prestigious European magazines published articles about health and climate change. Public Service Review: European Union, Issue 16, published an article entitled “A healthy environment” featuring the event, and Environmental Health Practitioners published “Climate change: Think global, act local” in September 2008. Articles are expected to appear in October in the European Parliament magazine (Regional Review) to be entitled “Health proofing climate change” and at the end of the year in Hospital Healthcare Europe, “Approaches to reducing carbon footprint in hospitals” in its 2008/2009 review.

The June conference outcome has also been promoted by HEAL members, the Standing Committee of European Doctors(CPME), which distributed a short article on “Health proofing climate change” to their members, and by the International Society of Doctors for the Environment (ISDE) Italia News, No. 310, September 2008. Websites that posted our press release include: European Urban Knowledge Network and The Global to Local Foundation (ege magazine).