Turning the plastic tide: how upgraded chemicals regulations are piece and parcel of addressing the plastics challenge
Taking on the plastics challenge in a way that puts health and the environment first to deliver on Europe’s Zero Pollution ambition requires upgrading European regulations on chemicals and articles in which they are used, encompassing the entire lifecycle of plastics.
Ditch fossil fuelled transport to guarantee healthy air, study confirms
What kind of city do we want to live in? Normally we don’t think much about that in our daily lives, but with the COVID pandemic we’ve also had to re-think the ways we move about in our cities.
Medical advice to EU leaders: prevention comes before cure
The EU’s recovery package is the not-to-be-missed opportunity to lead us to a healthier future and should not extend a lifeline to the pollution that is making us sick, writes HEAL President Peter van den Hazel in EURACTIV.
Worrying rows over future EU chemicals policy
Recent revelations on major disagreements within the European Commission about the development of the European Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability suggest that representatives of the Department General for Internal Market (DG GROW) seek to fundamentally tone down the proposals, under the pretence of economic interests and overruling preventive actions on chemicals and public health, writes Natacha Cingotti in EUObserver.
Time to action European promises on endocrine disruptors
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has committed to address endocrine disruptors as part of “a cross-cutting strategy to protect citizens’ health from environmental degradation and pollution” to reach “a zero-pollution ambition”. If Europe is serious about delivering on its promises and regulating based on science, then the current evaluation of the EDC framework is a real opportunity for health, environment and our economy, writes Natacha Cingotti in the ECHA Guest Corner.
Stepping up Dutch climate action for a healthy future for our children
The Dutch government has been appealing the Urgenda verdict for 4 years - it should recognise that accepting and executing it will be a blessing, writes HEAL President Peter van den Hazel.
Climate action for our health and planetary health
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.
There is only one way to protect children from the toxic pesticide chlorpyrifos: an EU-wide ban
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
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.
The climate emergency is a medical one – health sector issues prescription for a healthy energy future
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.
Billige Kohle kommt der Gesundheit teuer zu stehen
Dass Kohle schlecht fürs Klima ist, wissen die meisten. Weniger bekannt sind die Gesundheitsbelastungen durch die Kohleverstromung. Ein neues Briefing der Health and Environment Alliance beleuchtet die gesundheitlichen Folgen der Braunkohlenutzung und plädiert für einen schnellen Ausstieg.
Revamping buildings improves the climate, public health and social equality
If we combine the current quest for energy efficient buildings with an equal quest for better health and more equal societies, we have the chance to limit global warming to 1.5°C. That also means alleviating poverty, improving energy security and creating not only greener but healthier, more equal and enjoyable cities with fewer respiratory and heart diseases, better mental health and happier citizens.
HBM4EU – A public health tool to inform the transition towards a toxic-free future
New resources were added to this article on 10 October 2019. The Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) is an official stakeholder to HBM4EU, the European Human Biomonitoring Initiative. HBM4EU is…
