New report on children’s health impacts from transport pollution in Poland
Air pollution is the greatest health threat in Poland, with 50,000 premature deaths annually and a range of health effects including hospitalisations and rise in asthma cases in children. Polish…
HEAL reaction to the European Commission’s Zero Pollution Action Plan
Today, the Commission published its Zero Pollution Action Plan for air, water and soils (ZPAP). Anne Stauffer, Director for Strategy and Campaigns at HEAL commented: “The European Commission today has…
Bundesregierung blockiert Umwelt- und Gesundheitsschutz bei der Umsetzung von EU-Schadstoffgrenzwerten für Kohlekraftwerke
• Entwurf der Bundesregierung setzt Grenzwerte für Ausstoß von Schadstoffen von Kohlekraftwerken (unter anderem für Quecksilber, Stickstoff, Schwefeloxide, Feinstaub) zu hoch an und ist damit absolut unzureichend, um Menschen und…
Bengaluru Schoolchildren Breathing Polluted Air: Report
HEAL’s reaction to the European Parliament’s vote on the López report on the implementation of the Ambient Air Quality Directives (AAQD)
"With today’s report on air quality, Parliamentarians show they are ready to act on the urgent call from people across Europe and the scientific community. The next step is for…
A lire – « Les Plastiqueurs – Enquête sur ces industriels qui nous intoxiquent »
Book review: “Count Down – How our modern world is threatening sperm counts, altering male and female reproductive health, and imperiling the future of the human race” by Dr. Shanna Swan
New study suggests association between early pregnancy PFOA exposure and increased risk of miscarriage during first trimester
Pollution from coal power costs Turkey as much as 27% of its total health expenditure – new report
Turkey is pushing ahead with plans to double its coal power capacity with 30 new coal power stations despite major health impacts and costs linked to the country’s existing coal…
If Europe really wants to beat cancer, it needs to drastically reduce environmental pollutants and action its Zero Pollution ambition
EU industrial pollution law revision essential to cut greenhouse gases and pollutants
Brussels - The Industrial Emissions Directive (IED) currently excludes limits on carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs), making it unfit to support the EU's moves to address climate…
Just transition for health protection – Why disease prevention and zero pollution need to be at the heart of energy investments
The upcoming finalisation of the Just Transition Fund will set the financial framework on how European regions will execute the much needed transition to carbon-neutral economies. Decades of fossil fuel…
Lancet Countdown 2020 underlines health benefits of decisive climate and recovery action
Responding to the converging climate and COVID-19 crises can deliver a triple win: better public health, a sustainable economy and environmental protection. Climate action can ensure cleaner air, healthier diets,…
More than 12,200 chemicals can be used in materials and articles coming in contact with food worldwide, according to new scientific database
Survey shows almost 50% of Belgians are unaware of health-harming endocrine disrupting chemicals in daily lives
EU chemicals strategy: speedy implementation steps key to truly protect people’s health
Environmental health advocates have welcomed today’s release of the European Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability as a major step forward in the delivery of Europe’s Zero Pollution Objective. They however insisted…
Proposal for 55% GHG reduction target for 2030: near miss is still a miss
In her first State of the Union speech, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen today proposed upping the EU’s 2030 target for GHG emission reductions from the current -40%…
European Parliament’s vote on Just Transition fund is a disappointment
Today, the European Parliament has adopted its position on the 17.5 billion EUR Just Transition Fund. HEAL, together with 64 other organisations, has been advocating to exclude fossil gas from…
Turning the plastic tide: New HEAL report puts the spotlight on how chemicals in plastic are putting our health at risk
The production, use and recycling of plastics are not only the source of significant pollution of our environment, but they also have consequences for our health. Today the Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) releases the primer ‘Turning the Plastic Tide’, aiming to shine a light on a rarely explored perspective to plastic pollution: the undeniable link between the synthetic chemicals used in plastics and their effects on our health.
‘Turning the Plastic Tide’ introduces readers to health concerns over our exposure to the chemicals coming at play throughout the entire lifecycle of plastics. It unwraps the grave challenge that the chemicals constituents involved at every stage – monomers, additives – pose to achieve a clean and healthy circular economy. The report also highlights the need for a broad definition of plastics that allows one to define the full scale of plastic contamination, including the all-pervasive problem of microplastics.
Exposure to chemicals used in plastics, like flame retardants, endocrine disruptors, PFAS, bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates has been associated with a myriad of potential health impacts. For example, health concerns related to endocrine disruptors include reproductive disorders, development dysfunction, behavioural disorders, thyroid problems, low birth weight, diabetes and obesity, asthma, breast and prostate cancers.
Stronger regulations for Europe-wide solutions and better health
HEAL’s new primer is being launched at a crucial time for the delivery of Europe’s promises towards bettering future European legislation on chemicals and reaching the zero-pollution ambition. The release of the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability, a key component of the European Green Deal, is expected in the autumn of 2020. If well crafted, this could be the most transformative chemical policy initiative at European level since REACH was launched in 2006.
Solving the environmental pollution and health impacts of plastics is only possible by acknowledging that the problems of plastics are inextricably linked to chemical safety. Effective protection of health and environment will require stronger, more efficient and protective EU-wide regulations on chemicals and articles in which they are used. And those regulations need to encompass the entire lifecycle of plastics if they are to truly contribute to the transition to a non-toxic circular economy.
Our recommendations for regulators to turn the plastic tide include:
- Protect and be consistent
- No substance of very high concern (SVHC) should ever make its way into consumer products or food.
- It is high time to crack down on plastics additives.
- Rather than treating substances one by one, we must start regulating substances in groups. The reality of our exposure to mixtures, which is particularly relevant when addressing plastics, must be taken into account in chemicals assessments and regulations.
- Regulations on recycled materials should be the same as for virgin materials.
- Anticipate and communicate
- Implement essential EU principles such as the precautionary principle in cases of scientific uncertainties and the polluter-pays principle. Do not let substances that are not proven safe enter the market.
- Avoid contaminating the future: do not allow recycling of plastics with hazardous additives and components.
- Safe substitution must be anticipated and put more focus on in regulatory processes in order to avoid regrettable replacements, when a substance or group of substance are being restricted.
- Ensure full transparency on chemical content throughout the supply chain and towards consumers.
Plastique : Inverser La Tendance
Les substances chimiques dans les plastiques qui mettent notre santé en peril.
Invertire Il Trend Della Plastica
Le sostanze chimiche presenti nella plastica che mettono a rischio la nostra salute.
Sustancias químicas del plástico que perjudican la salud.