TOXIC CHEMICALS

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.

This policy paper puts forward a proposal to mainstream agroecology into the policies governing EU food systems. It builds on the consensual vision of a coalition of EU civil society, farmers and scientific organizations to use the FAO ‘10 Elements of Agroecology’ and ‘13 Agroecological Principles’ as a framework to develop the appropriate instruments and targets for EU policies.

Today the Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) releases the primer 'Turning the Plastic Tide', unwrapping the story behind the chemicals in plastic that put our health at risk.

The International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO), the Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) and the University of California in San Francisco (UCSF) have published a fact sheet and infographic to call for immediate action against “forever chemicals”, to protect reproductive health, fertility and human development.

This policy paper puts forward a proposal to mainstream agroecology into the policies governing EU food systems. It builds on the consensual vision of a coalition of EU civil society, farmers and scientific organizations to use the FAO ‘10 Elements of Agroecology’ and ‘13 Agroecological Principles’ as a framework to develop the appropriate instruments and targets for EU policies.

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.

This easy-to-use infographic explains why reforming EU rules on the Classification, Labelling and Packaging of chemicals (CLP) is an opportunity to better protect health in the European Union.

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.

The Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL), Zero Waste Europe, CHEM Trust and ClientEarth have joined forces to illustrate how harmful chemicals in food packaging can hamper the circular economy and put our health at risk.

Cosmetics and personal care products can contain harmful endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) and other substances of concern, but their labels can be hard to read. The infographic launched by the Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) and Tegengif/Erase All Toxins today uncovers the story behind chemicals in cosmetics.

The Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL), Zero Waste Europe, the European Consumer Organisation BEUC, CHEM Trust and ClientEarth have joined hands to bust some of the most popular myths surrounding chemicals used in food contact materials. The infographic launched today illustrates how the chemicals used in the production, processing, preparation and packaging of food may put our health at risk.

Have you ever wondered whether and how our everyday environment and activities affect our health? The ATHLETE project is designed to answer these questions by studying the Human Exposome – the totality of environmental exposures from conception to adulthood. Today we are excited to launch a new flyer and video to present the key activities of our research project.

Thousands of tonnes of pesticides are sold in the EU every year, yet we do not know which ones are used where and in what quantities. 70+ organisations are voicing their concerns on the EU reform of pesticides statistics.

Defining "nanomaterials" is no small matter. We call on the European Commission to clarify and improve its definition of the term in order to minimize adverse effects on human health and ecosystems.

In a letter published today, thirty-four civil society groups urge the European Commission to support a proposal put forward by French authorities to restrict a group of extremely hazardous substances from single-use babies’ diapers.

Health groups have welcomed Belgium’s first-ever draft national action plan on endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) as an important step towards better identification of and health protection against the risks associated to exposure to such harmful substances.

70+ organisations have published ten demands to be urgently taken on board by the EU Commission for the revision of the Sustainable Use of Pesticides Directive.

The European Parliament has adopted its non-legislative report responding to the publication of the EU Commission 2021 communication on Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan, recognising the EU Green Deal is a key tool to limit people’s exposure to pollution and prevent cancer.

In a letter published today, thirty-four civil society groups urge the European Commission to support a proposal put forward by French authorities to restrict a group of extremely hazardous substances from single-use babies’ diapers.

A new overview paper in the Journal of Environmental Epidemiology connects the dots on how the ATHLETE project's research on the Human Exposome offers advanced tools for lifelong disease prevention and policy action.

The use of persistent and health-harming PFAS chemicals in disposable food packaging and tableware is a widespread practice across Europe, as shown in a study by Czech NGO Arnika, HEAL, CHEM Trust and six other non-profit organisations in Europe.

Today the Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) releases the primer 'Turning the Plastic Tide', unwrapping the story behind the chemicals in plastic that put our health at risk.

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.

A new study, "Toxic Soup: Dioxins in Plastic Toys", shows alarming levels of very toxic brominated dioxins in eight toys and one hair clip made of recycled plastic stemming from electronic waste.

Environmental health researchers released alarming evidence today that toxic brominated flame retardants, hazardous chemicals from electronic waste that are known to disrupt thyroid function and cause neurological and attention deficits in children, are contaminating recycled plastics in consumer products across Europe.