How endocrine disrupting chemicals affect women’s reproductive health: new factsheet and infographic by the FREIA project
It is beyond a doubt that endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) impact the health of humans and the environment globally. Surprisingly, we still don’t know exactly how EDCs can harm female reproductive health. The Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) has teamed up with the FREIA project to launch a factsheet and infographic - available in English, Dutch and French - to introduce this research project and to illustrate how EDCs affect women’s health.
European governments united in addressing the air pollution health emergency
Following the European Commission’s Conclusions on the Fitness Check of the Ambient Air Quality Directive from November 2019 (3), European Environment Ministers today adopted joint conclusions (4) where they “welcome the Commission's intention to propose a revision of air quality standards, and look forward to discussions on such proposals, including on a possible closer alignment of the EU air quality standards with the WHO air quality guidelines”.
HEAL response to the Beating Cancer Plan roadmap
On 4 February 2020, the European Commission launched an EU-wide public consultation on Europe's Beating Cancer Plan running for 12 weeks as well as a consultation on the roadmap for…
International scientists sound alarm bell over harmful chemicals coming in contact with our food
An international group of 33 world-renowned scientists published today a peer-reviewed consensus statement on the impact of food contact chemicals on human health and recommended improvements of the assessment of chemicals in a health-protective way. Civil society groups from Europe, the U.S. and Asia have issued a declaration of concern in response to this consensus statement, calling on regulators to upgrade regulatory frameworks in order to protect public health while ensuring a transition away from single-use towards safe and reusable food packaging..
Joint letter to members of the Environment Council of the European Union on air quality action in 2020
The Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL), together with the European Federation of Allergy & Airways Diseases Patients´ Association (EFA), the European Public Health Alliance (EPHA), the European Respiratory Society (ERS)…
Environment Ministers have to show commitment to EU action on air quality in 2020
In the upcoming Council Conclusions on Air Quality, we call on Environment Ministers to: Reflect the urgency to act on air pollution for health protection: the positive effects of this Green Deal need to be breathable by the end of the current EU Commission’ mandate. Translate the urgency into action by paving the way forward: the EU Green Deal ambition needs to take the shape of clear steps for clean air in 2020, with a view to aligning the EU air standards with the WHO guidelines.
MEPs block EU Commission proposal that would allow toxic lead in recycled PVC
Members of the European Parliament today objected to a European Commission proposal to allow lead-contaminated recycled PVC to be sold in the EU. The Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL), ClientEarth and the European Environmental Bureau (EEB) have applauded MEPs for using their power of scrutiny in order to ask the European Commission to walk the talk and keep toxics out of the circular economy, a promise outlined in the European Green Deal.
Forever chemicals no more: Belgian premiere of Hollywood movie “Dark Waters” highlights reality of PFAS pollution and the urgency to address it through ambitious regulation
Award-winning actor Mark Ruffalo and director Todd Haynes are visiting the European Parliament this Wednesday (5 February) to present the film ‘Dark Waters’, inspired by the true story of an environmental attorney who took on the DuPont company in an environmental suit exposing decades of pollution of drinking water with PFAS. The movie shows the harsh consequences of chemicals pollution, which is a reality in the EU too, and should urgently be addressed as a chemical priority under the European Green Deal.
Environmental health groups celebrate end to EU allowance for banned flame retardant chemicals to enter recycling streams & new products
The European Union (EU) just took an important step towards cleaning up its recycling; it will no longer allow materials containing a class of toxic and globally banned flame retardants - known as PBDEs - to be recycled.
Environmental health priorities for Croatia’s presidency of the Council of the European Union
Croatia holds the Presidency of the Council of the European Union during the first half of 2020. In a letter to Croatia's prime minister Andrej Plenkovic, HEAL shared its priorities on how we consider the Presidency can help advance the protection of health from environment and climate threats in the next months, particularly regarding the EU Green Deal proposal.
Why HEAL supports the European Citizens’ Initiative “Save Bees and Farmers”
HEAL is a supporting organisation of the European Citizens’ Initiative “Save Bees and Farmers”, that launched in November 2019 with a vision of a pesticide-free Europe. Take a few minutes to sign the petition, available in English, French, German, Italian and Spanish!
Transition to a toxic-free circular economy in the carpet industry still a distant reality, despite industry initiative
Transition to a toxic-free circular economy in the carpet industry still a distant reality, despite industry initiative – European Commission needs to set up EPR scheme as part of the…
Turkish Health Professionals call for Better Air Pollution Monitoring and Legislation
In Turkey as in the whole of Europe, air pollution is the top environmental threat to health. However the country is lagging behind on clean air standards and monitoring of…
