Health and Environment Alliance

Climate action for our health and planetary health

2nd December 2019

Our message on climate action as the biggest opportunity to benefit health today, tomorrow and for future generations is powerful, and should be heard everywhere, writes HEAL's Founder and Executive Director Genon K. Jensen.

New EU Commission needs to walk the talk on clean air

29th November 2019

The Commission Staff Working Document on the Fitness Check of the Ambient Air Quality Directives, published today, makes it abundantly clear that it is necessary and beneficial to have European air quality standards. At the same time, the assessment points out that standards need to be implemented and applied rigorously, and that the current standards are not fully based on the latest science and World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations.

New-born babies in intensive care units exposed to health-harming endocrine disruptors BPA and parabens, new study shows

27th November 2019

New research published today finds that new-borns in intensive care units are in contact with a variety of medical products that contain bisphenol A (BPA) and parabens. Infants are particularly vulnerable to the effects from these endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), causing scientists and health groups alike to demand more comprehensive regulation of EDCs across the board for better protection.

New training tool on healthy air launched

27th November 2019

The Urban Agenda Partnership on Air Quality has just launched a new Training Course on Air Quality and Health: Methods, Tools and Practices for Better Air Quality Action Planning that…

NGO letter to REACH Committee regarding lead stabilisers in PVC

15th November 2019

Launch of 2019 Lancet Countdown: Tracking Progress on Health and Climate Change

13th November 2019

Today, the 2019 Lancet Countdown report has been published, with a focus on children's health and climate change, but also on the potential of transforming children's health through climate action for the better.

A chemicals strategy as part of the European Green Deal: time to deliver

8th November 2019

Health and environmental groups wrote to incoming Commission president Ursula von der Leyen today about the EU's golden opportunity to set out a long-term chemicals strategy that prioritises health and environmental protection under the European Green Deal.

Dear Minister: Voice your support to non-renewal of chlorpyrifos and chlorpyrifos-methyl

30th October 2019

Exposure to the pesticide chlorpyrifos harms children's brains. Yet it continues to be one of the most commonly used pesticides in Europe. HEAL calls on all European health, environment and agriculture ministers to support the non-renewal of chlorpyrifos and chlorpyrifos-methyl.

New study warns against likely regrettable substitution of flame retardants used in numerous consumer products – Health groups ask for faster regulation

22nd October 2019

A new study by a group of US scientists compared two groups of flame retardants – respectively polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and organophosphate ester flame retardants (OPFRs) - for a number of properties and warns that replacing the former by the latter is likely a regrettable substitution.

Carcinogenicity assessment was flawed for 4 out of 10 pesticides, new report shows

21st October 2019

A new PAN Germany and HEAL review of carcinogenicity assessments of pesticide active ingredients shows 40 percent of them are not carried out in compliance with existing European guidelines, leading to possible continued exposure of farmers and consumers to cancer-causing pesticides. In 30 percent of the cases significant details were missing from the dossiers, raising uncertainties about how European authorities came to a conclusion.

HEAL welcomes the 10 commitments from Frans Timmermans, Virginijus Sinkevičius and Stella Kyriakides to act for a healthy planet for healthy people

10th October 2019

After European Commission President-elect Ursula von der Leyen had unveiled who will join her team during her administration, the newly-elected members of the European Parliament had a chance to test these confirmed nominees during committee hearings. So how did the European Green Deal Executive Vice-President designate, the Environment and Oceans Commissioner-designate and the Health Commissioner-designate perform and what did they commit to as a team?

There is only one way to protect children from the toxic pesticide chlorpyrifos: an EU-wide ban

8th October 2019

The widely used pesticide chlorpyrifos can seriously harm children’s healthy brain development. It will be for the next European Commission and European governments to deliver the one obvious solution: a complete ban of chlorpyrifos, to protect health and the environment.

Why regulation is the key to protecting today’s and future children from toxic plastic toys

3rd October 2019

It’s encouraging to see that plastic pollution in oceans and environment has become quite a talked about topic. But an issue that is often overlooked is the toxic chemicals that can be found in plastic, and how they harm our health, writes HEAL's Executive Director Genon K. Jensen.

18 NGOs write to REACH committee ahead of potential vote on a restriction on tattoo inks and permanent make-up

1st October 2019

A tattoo can be an important means of cultural or self-expression and is popular among Europeans. 18 NGOs have written to members of the REACH committee regarding an proposal for a restriction on tattoo inks and permanent make up.

First-ever Plastic Health Summit to present preliminary results of ground-breaking research by ZonMw

1st October 2019

What health risks do micro- and nanoplastics pose to the human body? The Plastic Health Summit, taking place October 3rd, brings scientists, influencers and industry from all over the world together and presents the preliminary results of ground-breaking research by ZonMw.

Stepping up on national climate action to deliver on the Paris climate commitments

30th September 2019

With the growing global climate movement, the UN climate summit, the upcoming climate negotiations in Madrid and all the deliberations in the new EU institutions (e.g. European Green Deal), responding…

The climate emergency is a medical one – health sector issues prescription for a healthy energy future

24th September 2019

Today, HEAL launches the Prescription for a Healthy Energy Future for Europe, to shine a light on the health benefits the transformation of the energy sector will bring, and bring to the forefront those areas where change is urgently needed. We will eventually include transport and food production as well.

No new coal power plants in Montenegro – a WIN for health

19th September 2019

HEAL is pleased to see that Montenegro takes action to protect health in the region and elsewhere with yesterday’s announcement by the Government that it would drop its plans to…

Citizen science air quality monitoring in and around Parisian schools confirms the need to cut air pollution from transport to protect health

18th September 2019

Brussels/Paris, 18 September 2019 - A citizens’ science monitoring project at six nurseries and primary schools in the centre of Paris found nitrogen dioxide (NO2) outside and inside all classrooms…

New study on widely used plastic products confirms toxicity of chemical content– Health groups call on new European Commission to make addressing chemical pollution a priority

17th September 2019

The most comprehensive scientific study on the toxicity of chemicals present in plastic products to date, “Benchmarking the in Vitro Toxicity and Chemical Composition of Plastic Consumer Products”, was released today in Environmental Science and Technology.

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