HEAL’s response to the public consultation on a proposal for an EU PFAS Restriction
HEAL’s response to the public consultation on a proposal for an EU PFAS Restriction.
Chlorpyrifos-methyl: unpacking the history behind the EU ban and court case
On 4 October 2023, the European Court of Justice ruled that the 2019 EU-wide ban of the health-harming pesticide chlorpyrifos-methyl remains in force. This blog revisits the long road that led to the decision to ban the substance from the European market in 2019, delves into the related health stakes, and explores the legal challenge that followed the ban.
Press note: Glyphosate: failed Member States’ vote shows it is impossible to ignore science – European Commission called to drop its proposal
The European Commission failed to get enough support for its proposal to reauthorise the use of glyphosate, the world’s most widely used pesticide which is associated with risks of cancer and other health disorders, for another ten years. It is the second time in two months that EU governments fail to reach the required majority to adopt the Commission’s plans. HEAL urges the European Commission to withdraw its proposal for a renewal based on the amount of scientific evidence warranting serious health impacts.
Open letter to the EU Commission President: Stop the re-approval of glyphosate in light of new scientific evidence on cancer risk
106 European civil society organisations call on EU Commission President von der Leyen to withdraw the proposal to renew glyphosate's approval, in light of new compelling evidence that the herbicide causes leukaemia in young rats.
Advancing on clean air everywhere, for everyone, as negotiations on EU clean air law (AAQD) can start
Health groups welcome today’s adoption of the Council negotiating mandate for the Ambient Air Quality Directive revision under the Spanish EU Presidency, as the right next step, as it means trilogue negotiations on clean air for health can start and be concluded before the 2024 EU elections.
Opinion: How industry can launder a health-risking substance: Titanium dioxide should remain classified as carcinogenic within the EU
Titanium dioxide (TiO2), often used for its whitening capacity and found in daily products such as sunscreens and cosmetics, is suspected of causing cancer. But the hazard classification of the substance as a suspected carcinogen has been a long and winding road, with the scientific and political battle culminating in a legal row at the European Union’s highest court—to the detriment of citizens and workers - Natacha Cingotti writes for Social Europe.
Infographic: The EU must ban PVC!
Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) is a commonly used plastic that exposes people and the environment to toxic, carcinogenic chemicals and contaminants.
Join NGOs in calling the European Union to ban the harmful plastic polyvinyl chloride!
Join NGOs in calling the European Union to ban the harmful plastic polyvinyl chloride (PVC) - a commonly used plastic that exposes people and the environment to toxic, carcinogenic chemicals and contaminants.
Presseinformation: 8. November 2023 – EU Mitgliedstaaten vor wichtiger Entscheidung zu Luftqualität und Gesundheitsschutz
Die Abstimmung über die Verhandlungsposition der EU-Mitgliedsstaaten ist für diese Woche Mittwoch im Ausschuss der Ständigen Vertreter (COREPER) vorgesehen. Erst wenn die EU-Mitgliedsstaten ihre Verhandlungsposition festgelegt haben, können die sogenannten Trilogverhandlungen zwischen Mitgliedstaaten, Europaparlament und EU-Kommission beginnen und der Zeitplan für die Novellierung gehalten werden, damit die Revision der Richtlinie bis vor den Europawahlen abgeschlossen ist.
Joint letter calling the Executive Vice-President for European Green Deal to uphold commitments made in the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability
HEAL alongside other organisations sent a joint letter to Executive Vice-President for European Green Deal Maroš Šefčovič calling to uphold commitments presented in the 2020 Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability in this mandate.
Letter to Chancellor of Germany calling for support for clean air
HEAL and the German Climate and Health Alliance (Deutsche Allianz Klimawandel und Gesundheit, KLUG) have sent a letter to the Chancellor of Germany, calling for support of strict clean air standards, to prevent disease and lower health costs.
Health organisations urge EU member states to adopt their clean air negotiating position
In view of ongoing deliberations on the revision of the EU’s Ambient Air Quality Directive (AAQD), health organisations representing the European health sector, including medical doctors, healthcare professionals, patient organisations and health insurance funds, urge member states to act on the unacceptably high health burden from air pollution and to adopt a negotiating position this week, so that the AAQD trilogues can start, and the revision process can be concluded before the 2024 EU elections
Webinar (recordings): Reducing the urban burden of disease: from science to policy action
On #WorldCitiesDay 2023, the Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) and the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal) held a special webinar on the latest evidence on how people’s health in cities is affected by air pollution, noise, lack of green space, climate change, and inequalities, and how policy makers can respond to these health threats. The recordings in English, German and Polish are now online.
Health sector awareness and engagement on climate across Europe
This new briefing prepared as part of the EU-funded CISIP project aims to shed light on why “health” is at the heart of climate change and present some of the milestones of health sector engagement on climate.
Joint letter: Urgent call to protect European citizens by opposing glyphosate renewal in light of leukaemia risk
HEAL and several other organisations are calling on Permanent Representatives of the European Union to protect European citizens by opposing the Commission's proposal for a 10-year renewal of glyphosate's approval.
Joint letter to German environment minister calling for more ambition on clean air
The German Medical Association (Bundesärztekammer), the German Climate and Health Alliance (Deutsche Allianz Klimawandel und Gesundheit (KLUG)) and HEAL have sent a letter to German environment minister Steffi Lemke regarding the revision of the Ambient Air Quality Directive (AAQD). The organisations call on the minister to improve the European Commission's proposal, by upping the ambition of the legislation...
Celebrating 20 years of HEAL
Twenty years ago, I realised that environmental pollution is linked to ill health and serious acute and chronic diseases, like cancer, asthma and respiratory diseases. This is when I launched into my environmental health journey and founded HEAL. It became clear to me that our ways of living and the environmental pollution resulting from that impacted our health. I wanted to know more about the impacts and the extent, how much of it was preventable, and what role and power policy-making could have in it....
Press note: Good and bad news for health as the ENVI Committee votes on pesticides
The European Parliament's Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI), voted on the draft proposal for a Sustainable use of Pesticides Regulation (SUR) and the non-binding objection to the renewal of the widely used pesticide glyphosate. While the objection for non-renewal of glyphosate failed, the SUR was adopted, but in order to truly protect health more ambition is needed.
Joint statement: For an ambitious pesticides regulation that protects people, biodiversity and ecosystems
More than 75 health and environment groups call upon all EU member states and members of the EU Parliament to support a strong Sustainable Use of Pesticides Regulation (SUR) without further delays.
Letter: Health groups urge MEPs to adopt a health-protective EU pesticides reduction law
The Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) and its members have written to MEPs in the EP ENVI committee, calling on them to support pesticide reduction in the EU, ahead of a vote on the draft Sustainable Use of Pesticides Regulation (SUR) on 24 October 2023.
