HEAL advocates for policies to benefit peoples’ health and the environment
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Press contact: Nea Pakarinen nea@env-health.org
Calling for the most ambitious children’s health protection in revision of EU Toy Safety Regulation
HEAL has sent a letter to EU member states Permanent Representatives regarding the ongoing negotiations between the Council, Parliament and Commission on the revision of the EU Toy Safety Regulation.
The Polish EU Presidency needs to protect health from climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss
Opinion by HEAL Poland Director Weronika Michalak: as the urgency to act on the triple crisis - climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss - becomes increasingly clear, I hope that the Polish Presidency of the European Union, which began on 1st January this year, will set the course for decisive EU climate and environmental policies aimed at protecting people's health across Europe.
Reducing the health cost of climate change: what needs to be done?
In all mitigation and adaptation measures to 2040 which are currently being considered by EU decisionmakers (Proposal of a 90% CO2 reduction target for 2040; EU Climate Adaptation Plan), health needs to be at the core.
Strengthening Polish climate and energy transformation efforts for better health
More than 40 non-governmental organisations, including HEAL, are calling on the Polish Prime Minister to enhance coordination among 12 ministries in preparing the National Energy and Climate Plan and implementing Poland's energy and climate transition.
Health groups call for the reinstatement of Poland’s Clean Air Programme
Together with thirty non-governmental organisations, HEAL urged Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk to immediately resume Poland's successful and much needed Clean Air Programme. The programme saves an estimated 21,000 lives annually through its approach of replacing outdated heating systems and improving home insulation.
Joint statement: A Roadmap for a Pesticide Phase-Out
85 organisations including HEAL have in January 2025 published a roadmap for a pesticide phase-out: “A swift and just transition to phase out pesticides and safeguard biodiversity and people’s health must remain a top priority for the new European Commission. This goal should be central to the EU’s Vision for Agriculture and Food, which is expected on 19 February 2025.”
HEAL webinar series on the health impacts of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances
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: Clean-up and health-related costs of PFAS pollution in Europe amount to billions– an EU-wide restriction is crucial
Press note: The Forever Lobbying Project investigation finds that the clean-up of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination in Europe could cost 100 billion euros annually. Health-related costs for PFAS exposure are estimated to reach up to 84 billion euros annually. With these revelations, combined with the mounting scientific evidence on PFAS’ grave health impacts, it is clear that the European Commission must ensure a robust EU-wide PFAS restriction and come up with a plan to address these costs as part of the Clean Industrial Deal.
Press release: EDC-Free Europe coalition urges EU Leaders to take immediate action on endocrine-disrupting chemicals
Press release: HEAL, together with the EDC-Free Europe coalition, is calling on future EU leaders to protect health and the environment from health-harming endocrine-disrupting chemicals. The coalition shared its priorities for the upcoming policy mandate at an event at the European Parliament.
Press release: Health groups welcome the confirmation of revised EU air quality law: milestone for public health
The EU Environment Ministers confirmed the revised Ambient Air Quality Directive. The revised legislation updates limits for key air pollutants in the EU to align more closely with the latest World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations, and to reflect the serious health impacts of air pollution.
Press note: European competitiveness will not be harmed by a PFAS restriction – but without it, people’s health will be
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
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
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
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.
Calling for the most ambitious children’s health protection in revision of EU Toy Safety Regulation
HEAL has sent a letter to EU member states Permanent Representatives regarding the ongoing negotiations between the Council, Parliament and Commission on the revision of the EU Toy Safety Regulation.
Strengthening Polish climate and energy transformation efforts for better health
More than 40 non-governmental organisations, including HEAL, are calling on the Polish Prime Minister to enhance coordination among 12 ministries in preparing the National Energy and Climate Plan and implementing Poland's energy and climate transition.
Joint statement: A Roadmap for a Pesticide Phase-Out
85 organisations including HEAL have in January 2025 published a roadmap for a pesticide phase-out: “A swift and just transition to phase out pesticides and safeguard biodiversity and people’s health must remain a top priority for the new European Commission. This goal should be central to the EU’s Vision for Agriculture and Food, which is expected on 19 February 2025.”
Joint letter to EU Commission President Von der Leyen: It’s time to end “the worst pollution crisis in human history”: Ban PFAS
More than 90 organisations have written to EU Commission President Von der Leyen regarding the PFAS pollution crisis.
Repost: Joint letter to EU Commission President on enabling civil society engagement to strengthen democracy and support the European project
Repost in light of the European Parliament's plenary debate taking place on 22 January 2025…
Joint letter to EU Commission President: Protect people, nature, and democracy in EU regulations
In a joint letter, more than 270 civil society organisations, trade unions, consumer groups, farmers organisations, civil rights groups, health and environmental organisations representing millions of citizens, call on European Commission’s President Ursula von der Leyen to shun deregulation and prioritise the protection of people, nature, and democracy in its decision-making processes.
Joint letter to members of REACH committee on implementation of restriction agenda
The undersigned organisations urge the REACH committee to advocate for accelerating the implementation of the restriction agenda, which is crucial for the timely phase-out of the most harmful chemicals within the EU and support the progressive industry.
The Polish EU Presidency needs to protect health from climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss
Opinion by HEAL Poland Director Weronika Michalak: as the urgency to act on the triple crisis - climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss - becomes increasingly clear, I hope that the Polish Presidency of the European Union, which began on 1st January this year, will set the course for decisive EU climate and environmental policies aimed at protecting people's health across Europe.
Opinion: EU’s leaked strategic agenda makes zero mention of health
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
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
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
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
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
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.
HEAL webinar series on the health impacts of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances
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.
HEAL webinar: Endocrine disruptors and women’s health
A recording of our latest webinar on the impact of endocrine disrupting chemicals on women's reproductive health is now available.
Women’s health and endocrine disruptors: FREIA research project launches new webinar series
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
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". More...
Webinar (recordings): Reducing the urban burden of disease: from science to policy action
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
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.