TOXIC CHEMICALS

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.

There are multiple health concerns related to chemicals in food contact materials in Europe. This briefing looks at the current legislative system in the European Union for these materials and defines what is missing in the existing system and what must be changed if public health is to be protected.

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.

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.

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.

Eight health and environment groups across Europe are calling on EU ministers to identify Resorcinol, a health-harming endocrine disruptor, as a substance of very high concern.

41 civil society organisations, including several of the organisers of the successful European Citizens’ Initiative #StopGlyphosate, urge EU Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides to guarantee that the ongoing assessment of glyphosate is based on updated independent scientific evidence and remains free from vested interests.

A new scientific analysis concludes that the European Food Safety Authority's (EFSA) claim that glyphosate is not genotoxic cannot be justified on the basis of manufacturers’ studies. Of the 53 industry-funded studies used for the EU’s current authorization of glyphosate, 34 were identified as "not reliable", 17 as "partly reliable" and only 2 studies as "reliable" from a methodological point of view.

Today four EU member states (France, Hungary, the Netherlands and Sweden) released a statement proposing that glyphosate does not pose risks for human health. HEAL is concerned at such a conclusion, which is in contradiction to the scientific evidence of the association between exposure to the popular pesticide and the development of cancer.

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.

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.

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.