European agriculture is pesticide-intensive, relying on the use of numerous hazardous pesticides that can damage both human health and the environment. Pesticides in our food, water, and air can increase the risk of health problems such as cancer and infertility, harm children’s healthy development and disrupt our hormonal systems.
HEAL works with health groups, civil society organisations, and decision-makers to ensure the use of harmful pesticides becomes a thing of the past.
373 civil society groups urge leaders to take ambitious action to phase out world’s most dangerous pesticides
25th September 2023
373 civil society and Indigenous Peoples organizations from 74 countries urged leaders at a historic global conference to act with urgency to phase out Highly Hazardous Pesticides (HHPs), a particular group of pesticides that cause the most severe harm to human health and the environment and are considered too dangerous for use.
Letter: Health groups urge EU member states to support the non-renewal of glyphosate’s market license
12th September 2023
HEAL, ISDE Italy and the Belgian Independent Health Insurance Funds call on European governments to rely on independent scientific evidence and support a full ban of glyphosate’s market license, ahead of a meeting between member states’ representatives in the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed (SCoPAFF) taking place on 15 September.
Nature restoration law must be adopted, to protect nature and to boost health
11th July 2023
Ahead of a key European Parliament vote on the nature restoration law, HEAL urges members of the European Parliament to support this key proposal for people’s health and well-being.
Press note: Health groups concerned about EFSA statement suggesting absence of health concerns in the renewal assessment of probable carcinogen glyphosate
6th July 2023
A statement published today by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) concluded that glyphosate, the most widely used herbicide on the planet, does not pose unacceptable risks for human health, despite independent scientific evidence to the contrary. More...
Q&A on animal testing and chemical safety assessments
27th February 2023
We are exposed to a wide mix of potentially harmful chemicals on a daily basis. To assess whether and how exposure to chemical substances can impact our health and the environment, European and national regulatory authorities rely on the results from several testing methods, including animal testing, when performing their safety assessment. In this Q&A, HEAL answers several key questions about the use of animal testing in the European Union.
Pesticides and Health Impacts / Pestisitler ve Sağlığa Etkileri
26th January 2023
Pestisitlerin Sağlık Etkileri konusunda Türkiye sağlık sektöründen öneriler
Briefing: HEAL’s response to the public consultations on the EU’s initial assessment of glyphosate
3rd February 2022
This briefing outlines HEAL's response to two public consultations on the EU's initial assessment of glyphosate, and lists our key concerns about the EU assessment report on the toxicity of the pesticide.
Q&A on animal testing and chemical safety assessments
27th February 2023
We are exposed to a wide mix of potentially harmful chemicals on a daily basis. To assess whether and how exposure to chemical substances can impact our health and the environment, European and national regulatory authorities rely on the results from several testing methods, including animal testing, when performing their safety assessment. In this Q&A, HEAL answers several key questions about the use of animal testing in the European Union.
EU should ban brain-harming chlorpyrifos to protect health
1st August 2018
Today, the Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) together with Générations Futures, Pesticide Action Network Europe…
Infographic: The impact of harmful pesticides on people’s health and the environment
30th March 2023
To answer some of the most frequently asked questions regarding the impact of harmful chemicals on people’s health and the environment, the Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) has launched a new easy-to-use infographic and supporting social media assets.
HEAL and European Cancer Leagues relaunch infographic illustrating how Europe can prevent cancer by tackling environmental pollutants
25th May 2022
To mark the start of the European Week Against Cancer 2022, the Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) and the European Cancer Leagues (ECL) have teamed up to relaunch an infographic telling the story behind environmental cancer prevention.
Infographic: Europe needs to ban glyphosate to protect farmers, our health and the environment
16th March 2022
Glyphosate is the most widely-used pesticide in the world, despite its well-documented negative health impacts. A new infographic from HEAL explains why the EU must ban glyphosate without delay.
HEAL and European Cancer Leagues launch infographic illustrating how Europe can prevent cancer by tackling environmental pollutants
25th May 2020
To mark the start of the European Week Against Cancer 2020, the Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) and the European Cancer Leagues (ECL) have teamed up to launch an infographic telling the story behind environmental cancer prevention.
Fact cards: Ban the toxic pesticide chlorpyrifos from our plates
17th June 2019
The chemical chlorpyrifos has serious negative effects on our health, especially for children. Yet it…
373 civil society groups urge leaders to take ambitious action to phase out world’s most dangerous pesticides
25th September 2023
373 civil society and Indigenous Peoples organizations from 74 countries urged leaders at a historic global conference to act with urgency to phase out Highly Hazardous Pesticides (HHPs), a particular group of pesticides that cause the most severe harm to human health and the environment and are considered too dangerous for use.
Letter: Health groups urge EU member states to support the non-renewal of glyphosate’s market license
12th September 2023
HEAL, ISDE Italy and the Belgian Independent Health Insurance Funds call on European governments to rely on independent scientific evidence and support a full ban of glyphosate’s market license, ahead of a meeting between member states’ representatives in the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed (SCoPAFF) taking place on 15 September.
Letter to EU Health Commissioner: 10 demands to urgently address shortcomings and flaws in the EU pesticide authorisation system
13th June 2023
83 civil society groups, including HEAL, urge the EU Commissioner for Health and Food Safety to respond to the unfulfilled requests from the EU Parliament to improve Europe's current pesticide authorisation system.
Letter to Members of the EU Parliament: No backward step in EU Pesticides Regulation
13th June 2023
83 civil society groups, including HEAL, urge Members of EU Parliament to recall the Parliament's requests to the Commission and member states to improve the existing pesticide regulation in a plenary vote in January 2019.
Letter to MEPs: Advancing on the implementation of the Farm to Fork strategy for better health and long-term benefits for farmers and everyone
9th May 2023
Ahead of a debate on the role of farmers as enablers of the green transition and a resilient agricultural sector, HEAL urges members of the European Parliament to support the implementation of the Farm to Fork strategy and to adopt a strong health-protective Pesticides Regulation (SUR).
Scientific evidence of glyphosate link to cancer dismissed in ongoing EU assessment, new report reveals
8th June 2022
A HEAL report published today shows that scientific evidence that glyphosate is carcinogenic has so far been dismissed in the EU scientific assessment that will form the basis for the re-approval discussion of its EU market license.
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.
Scientific evidence of glyphosate link to cancer dismissed in ongoing EU assessment, new report reveals
8th June 2022
A HEAL report published today shows that scientific evidence that glyphosate is carcinogenic has so far been dismissed in the EU scientific assessment that will form the basis for the re-approval discussion of its EU market license.
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.
