HEAL advocates for policies to benefit peoples’ health and the environment
Stay up to date, read HEAL’s latest news, press releases, letters, briefings, policy papers, scientific statements and many other publications.
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Press contact: Nea Pakarinen nea@env-health.org
Letter: EU Healthy Air Coalition calls for confirmation of the revised Ambient Air Quality Directives
7th October 2024
The EU Healthy Air Coalition, representing medical doctors, healthcare professionals, patient organisations and health insurers, call the members of the Environment Council of the EU to confirm the revision of EU’s clean air standards (Ambient Air Quality Directives).
Letter to EU environment ministers – uphold commitment to health protection objectives in Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability
4th October 2024
HEAL has sent a letter to permanent representations of EU member states and EU environment ministers today, calling on their support and leadership to ensure that previous commitments made for a high level of health and environment protection will remain at the heart of the 2024-2029 EU Commission mandate, including delivering on the health protective measures promised in the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability (CSS) and the revision of REACH with no further delay.
HEAL annual report 2023-2024 out
30th September 2024
Our Annual Report covering the financial period of March 2023 – March 2024 has just been published! Find out about our overarching strategic goals and the wide range of activities on air quality, climate and energy, chemicals pesticides, as well as research projects, using a myriad of tools and channels and often working with partners and in coalition.
HEAL webinar series on the health impacts of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances
19th September 2024
To raise awareness of the impacts of PFAS on human health, HEAL is organising a series of three webinars in October 2024, each focusing on a different health impact of PFAS. The first webinar on 10 October focuses on impacts on the immune system. The subsequent webinars will focus on cancer and the impacts of exposure in early life and pregnancy.
Press note: European competitiveness will not be harmed by a PFAS restriction – but without it, people’s health will be
9th September 2024
Press note: While the Draghi report is concerned about the economic implications from transitioning away from PFAS in Europe, this approach is fundamentally flawed given the health costs and severe health and environmental consequences associated with these substances.
Letter: EU Healthy Air Coalition calls to strengthen EU clean air measures to sustain quality of life
6th September 2024
The EU Healthy Air Coalition, representing medical doctors, healthcare professionals, patient organisations and health insurers, which HEAL is a part of, call on the European Commission President von der Leyen, to prevent health impacts from air pollution. The coalition calls to award clean air a prominent mandate priority at Vice-Presidency level, in order to save costs and protect those most vulnerable.
HEAL Poland highlights importance of clean air for school kids – and how to get there
3rd September 2024
In September, as children in Poland return to school, a HEAL initiative focuses on raising awareness with parents on the importance of clean air around schools, and on encouraging healthy school mobility and school streets.
Press note: European competitiveness will not be harmed by a PFAS restriction – but without it, people’s health will be
9th September 2024
Press note: While the Draghi report is concerned about the economic implications from transitioning away from PFAS in Europe, this approach is fundamentally flawed given the health costs and severe health and environmental consequences associated with these substances.
Press note: Health should remain in the scope of the ENVI committee
2nd July 2024
Press note: HEAL calls on the European Parliament to maintain health within the scope of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety.
Press note: Health groups welcome vote on restriction of bisphenols in food packaging
12th June 2024
Press note: EU member states expert committee voted to ban some bisphenols, including bisphenol A (BPA), in food contact materials. This measure is much needed to protect people from these endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), that have also been classified as toxic for reproduction.
Press Release: 73 EU candidates pledge a toxic-free future ahead of EU-elections
4th June 2024
Press release: In a move to prioritise public health and environmental sustainability, nineteen leading environmental and health organisations have united to call on EU candidates to commit to a toxic-free Europe.
Press note: New Study – Chemical exposure can lead to higher risk of metabolic syndrome in children
23rd May 2024
Press note: New Study – Chemical exposure can lead to higher risk of metabolic syndrome in children
Press note: Member States water down Toy Safety Legislation
15th May 2024
Press note: The Council of the EU adopted their position on the updated rules of the toy safety regulation, which leaves many gaps on children’s protection from harmful chemicals.
Press note: 2024 Climate and Health Policy Priorities for Europe
15th May 2024
Press note: The Lancet Europe Countdown report on health and climate change 2024 indicates European governments have not successfully protected their citizens from the health impacts of climate change.
Letter: EU Healthy Air Coalition calls for confirmation of the revised Ambient Air Quality Directives
7th October 2024
The EU Healthy Air Coalition, representing medical doctors, healthcare professionals, patient organisations and health insurers, call the members of the Environment Council of the EU to confirm the revision of EU’s clean air standards (Ambient Air Quality Directives).
Letter to EU environment ministers – uphold commitment to health protection objectives in Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability
4th October 2024
HEAL has sent a letter to permanent representations of EU member states and EU environment ministers today, calling on their support and leadership to ensure that previous commitments made for a high level of health and environment protection will remain at the heart of the 2024-2029 EU Commission mandate, including delivering on the health protective measures promised in the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability (CSS) and the revision of REACH with no further delay.
Letter: EU Healthy Air Coalition calls to strengthen EU clean air measures to sustain quality of life
6th September 2024
The EU Healthy Air Coalition, representing medical doctors, healthcare professionals, patient organisations and health insurers, which HEAL is a part of, call on the European Commission President von der Leyen, to prevent health impacts from air pollution. The coalition calls to award clean air a prominent mandate priority at Vice-Presidency level, in order to save costs and protect those most vulnerable.
Letter to the President of the European Commission on protecting people’s health against climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss
1st August 2024
HEAL calls on European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to commit to protecting people’s health from the triple crisis during her second term in a letter. HEAL urges her to safeguard and strengthen the EU climate and environmental acquis for better health, and accelerate on the zero pollution path, including for the foreseen reform of the EU chemicals law REACH.
Green 10 letter to the President of the European Parliament calling to address the climate, biodiversity and pollution emergency
26th July 2024
The Green 10 coalition, which HEAL is a part of, encourages the President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola upon her re-election to put the climate, biodiversity and pollution emergency at the forefront of her tenure.
Green 10 letter to the President of the European Commission on upholding and scaling up Green Deal commitments
26th July 2024
The Green 10 coalition, which HEAL is a part of, encourages the EU Commission President to prioritize and scale up the Green Deal commitments towards zero pollution, thriving nature and health.
Letter: Civil society groups call on UNEP and the WHO to protect scientific integrity of scientific report on endocrine disruptors
17th July 2024
A number of NGOs sent a letter to UNEP and the WHO calling for a strict policy on conflicts of interest in the update process for the state-of-the-science report on endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs).
Opinion: EU’s leaked strategic agenda makes zero mention of health
13th June 2024
HEAL Director Génon K. Jensen writes for EUobserver on the importance to reflect the heavy toll climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution are taking on health in the EU Strategic Agenda 2024-2029 .
Opinion: Playing games with children’s health
28th May 2024
HEAL Programme Lead Health and Chemicals Sandra Jen writes for Social Europe: Toys are among the top products in the European Union reported for health-and-safety risks. They account for 23 per cent of all alerts for dangerous consumer products in the EU’s rapid-alert system. The position recently adopted by the Council of the EU on revision of the legislation on toy safety is thus concerning, notably in failing to support a bans on PFAS and bisphenols.
Opinion: The latest update of EU clean air standards could benefit Poland greatly
1st March 2024
The revised Ambient Air Quality Directive is a great tool for the Polish government to swiftly shift from the costly smoggy past to a clear new era, with happier and healthier people in tow, Weronika Michalak, Director of HEAL Poland writes for Euronews.
The Polish government is in a key position to ensure an ambitious EU Air Quality Directive
20th February 2024
The EU has a unique public health opportunity with the current revision of the Ambient Air Quality Directive, and the newly elected Polish government can help ensure this. Watering the law’s ambition down with delays and exemptions would be a major, unacceptable setback for people in Poland - one of the countries with the highest economic burden to health from air pollution in the EU.
Opinion: How industry can launder a health-risking substance: Titanium dioxide should remain classified as carcinogenic within the EU
8th November 2023
Titanium dioxide (TiO2), often used for its whitening capacity and found in daily products such as sunscreens and cosmetics, is suspected of causing cancer. But the hazard classification of the substance as a suspected carcinogen has been a long and winding road, with the scientific and political battle culminating in a legal row at the European Union’s highest court—to the detriment of citizens and workers - Natacha Cingotti writes for Social Europe.
Tribune collectif: La réglementation européenne sur les substances chimiques doit être révisée d’urgence
18th April 2023
Alors qu’une consultation publique visant à restreindre l’usage des « polluants éternels » a été lancée le 22 mars, des mutuelles et des organisations spécialisées en santé environnementale rappellent, dans une tribune au « Le Monde », l’urgence d’une actualisation ambitieuse du règlement européen sur les substances chimiques.
Europe’s raw materials rush does not justify keeping workers in the dark about lithium’s dangers
29th March 2023
The increasing reliance on lithium compounds in critical sectors should be reason enough for European authorities to support a thorough investigation of their properties. They also demand a speedy agreement on how to communicate about them to workers and end-users. But instead, a scientifically-backed proposal to classify three lithium salts for their toxicity to reproduction under Europe’s harmonised hazard identification system is at a dead end.
HEAL webinar series on the health impacts of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances
19th September 2024
To raise awareness of the impacts of PFAS on human health, HEAL is organising a series of three webinars in October 2024, each focusing on a different health impact of PFAS. The first webinar on 10 October focuses on impacts on the immune system. The subsequent webinars will focus on cancer and the impacts of exposure in early life and pregnancy.
Women’s health and endocrine disruptors: FREIA research project launches new webinar series
18th June 2024
This webinar series from the FREIA research project brings together leading partners to talk about their scientific findings after five years of research into the effects of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) on female reproduction.
Webinar – Ambient Air Quality EU Directive: A public health need
21st November 2023
Salud por Derecho, Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL), Ecologistas en Acción, IS Global and the European Environmental Bureau (EEB) organise a webinar entitled "Ambient Air Quality EU Directive: A public health need".
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Webinar (recordings): Reducing the urban burden of disease: from science to policy action
3rd November 2023
On #WorldCitiesDay 2023, the Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) and the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal) held a special webinar on the latest evidence on how people’s health in cities is affected by air pollution, noise, lack of green space, climate change, and inequalities, and how policy makers can respond to these health threats. The recordings in English, German and Polish are now online.
Webinar: Reducing the urban burden of disease: from science to policy action
11th October 2023
On #WorldCitiesDay 2023, join the Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) and the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal) for a special webinar on the latest evidence on how people’s health in cities is affected by air pollution, noise, lack of green space, climate change, and inequalities, and how policy makers can respond to these health threats.
Webinar recording: Building Health Bridges for Clean Air
10th October 2023
On the occasion of the 2023 #WorldCleanAirDay, the Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) and the Institute for Health and Environment Slovenia organised a virtual exchange on Building health bridges for clean air.
