Health and Environment Alliance

The real-life impact of PFAS pollution on communities – examples from Veneto, Antwerp, Dordrecht, Ronneby and Korsør and how to take action

10th May 2023

A new website by the Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) sheds light on five cases of PFAS pollution affecting communities across Europe and provides resources for concerned citizens and health professionals to take action.

Over 100 organisations call on the European Commission to fully ban PFAS by 2030

14th March 2023

The EU Chemicals Agency (ECHA) published the draft proposal for an EU-wide restriction on the production and uses of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), starting a much needed process to restrict these 'forever chemicals'

Groundbreaking cross-country media investigation reveals thousands of sites contaminated by PFAS around Europe, adding further urgency to enact EU-wide ban on ‘forever chemicals’

23rd February 2023

An unprecedented cross-country media investigation on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination around Europe - The Forever Pollution Project - reveals that more than 17,000 sites are contaminated by ‘forever chemicals’ around Europe.

Civil-society groups demand for a highly protective EU restriction on PFAS

Civil society groups demand a highly protective EU restriction on PFAS

7th February 2023

The EU Chemicals Agency (ECHA) published the draft proposal for an EU-wide restriction on the production and uses of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), starting a much needed process to restrict these 'forever chemicals'

Nine hazardous chemicals added to REACH’s blacklist: BPS, melamine, isobutylparaben, PFHpA, and more

24th January 2023

HEAL welcomes the addition of nine new substances to the candidate list of substances of very high concern (SVHC) under the REACH regulation. This poses immediate obligations on manufacturers and importers to declare if these substances are present in materials or products. More...

French government announces national action plan on PFAS chemicals ahead of expected publication of EU-wide proposal for restrictions

17th January 2023

French authorities have today released the country’s first action plan specifically dedicated to PFAS, acknowledging the severe consequences that these ‘forever chemicals’ have on people’s health and the environment and the urgent need to reduce production.

The curious case of PFHpA and why this and all forever chemicals should be banned under REACH

13th December 2022

PFHpA, a member of the hazardous PFAS family, is increasingly being found in our bodies and the environment. HEAL supports the Dutch proposal to identify PFHpA as a substance of very high concern under REACH, which would constitute the first step to put an end to our exposure to this toxic chemical. However, all PFAS need to be regulated as a group to truly get at the root of the problem to prevent further harm.

116 Scientists ask for revision of World Health Organization’s draft PFAS guidelines

15th November 2022

More than 115 scientists have asked the World Health Organization for a complete overhaul or withdrawal of the organisation’s draft drinking water guidelines for two of the most well-studied per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), namely PFOS and PFOA.

Why melamine should be added to REACH’s blacklist of harmful chemicals

31st October 2022

Melamine's potential irreversible impacts on health and the environment warrant regulatory action now. Here are 6 things you need to know about this harmful chemical (and why we support Germany's proposal to identify it as a substance of very high concern).

Civil society groups urge the EU to keep their promises to ban ‘forever chemicals’ PFAS

12th October 2022

46 European civil society organisations urgently demand EU member states and the Commission to ban all PFAS in consumer products by 2025 and across all uses by 2030.

Letter to European Chemicals Agency (ECHA): Restrictions of PFHxA and PFAS in firefighting foams

16th August 2022

Joint letter: NGOs address their concerns regarding the PFHxA restriction and the restriction proposal for PFAS in firefighting foams

16th May 2022

European Commission publishes roadmap for restrictions on most harmful chemicals, but important implementation details are missing

27th April 2022

The EU Commission's Chemicals Restriction Roadmap is a turning point in the European regulatory approach to harmful chemicals. But important details for turning the plan into a regulatory reality are missing, health groups point out.

Webinar: How prenatal and postnatal exposure to PFAS affects child cardiometabolic health and inflammatory biomarkers – six European cohorts

14th February 2022

Join us for a special webinar on February 23rd to explore how prenatal and postnatal exposure to PFAS affects child cardiometabolic health and inflammatory biomarkers.

Civil society groups call on Belgian federal government’s involvement to guarantee action to clean up and remediate PFAS pollution around Antwerp, monitor consequences, and guarantee accountability

10th November 2021

PFAS pollution is a reality for communities near Antwerp and Zwijndrecht. HEAL and Grondrecht are asking the Belgian government to step in to guarantee action to clean up and remediate pollution, monitor consequences and guarantee accountability.

How PFAS chemicals affect women, pregnancy and human development: Health actors call for urgent action to phase them out

25th May 2021

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.

‘Forever chemicals’ widespread in disposable food packaging from popular fast-food chains across Europe, new study shows

20th May 2021

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.

New study suggests association between early pregnancy PFOA exposure and increased risk of miscarriage during first trimester

11th February 2021

A study released today in the Nature journal Scientific Reports finds that exposure to PFOA during the early stages of pregnancy is positively associated with an increased risk for sporadic miscarriage during the second half of the first trimester.

The problem of PFAS in Europe – joint NGO flyer

30th March 2020

Per- and Poly-fluoroalkyl Substances, more commonly known as PFAS, are a particularly harmful chemical group. In this flyer, HEAL, CHEMSEC, EEB, CHEM Trust and THINK-Film explain the problem of PFAS in Europe.

The “forever chemicals” that are harming our health: PFAS

4th February 2020

You may not recognize the name PFAS, short for per and polyfluorinated alkyl substances, yet it is likely you come in contact with this toxic chemical on a daily basis. From frying pans and cosmetics to paper food packaging and clothing, PFAS is a class of more than 4,700 widely-used, man-made chemicals. And they are putting our health and the environment at serious risk.

PFAS

The real-life impact of PFAS pollution on communities – examples from Veneto, Antwerp, Dordrecht, Ronneby and Korsør and how to take action

Over 100 organisations call on the European Commission to fully ban PFAS by 2030

Groundbreaking cross-country media investigation reveals thousands of sites contaminated by PFAS around Europe, adding further urgency to enact EU-wide ban on ‘forever chemicals’

Civil society groups demand a highly protective EU restriction on PFAS

Nine hazardous chemicals added to REACH’s blacklist: BPS, melamine, isobutylparaben, PFHpA, and more

French government announces national action plan on PFAS chemicals ahead of expected publication of EU-wide proposal for restrictions

The curious case of PFHpA and why this and all forever chemicals should be banned under REACH

116 Scientists ask for revision of World Health Organization’s draft PFAS guidelines

Why melamine should be added to REACH’s blacklist of harmful chemicals

Civil society groups urge the EU to keep their promises to ban ‘forever chemicals’ PFAS

Letter to European Chemicals Agency (ECHA): Restrictions of PFHxA and PFAS in firefighting foams

Joint letter: NGOs address their concerns regarding the PFHxA restriction and the restriction proposal for PFAS in firefighting foams

European Commission publishes roadmap for restrictions on most harmful chemicals, but important implementation details are missing

Webinar: How prenatal and postnatal exposure to PFAS affects child cardiometabolic health and inflammatory biomarkers – six European cohorts

Civil society groups call on Belgian federal government’s involvement to guarantee action to clean up and remediate PFAS pollution around Antwerp, monitor consequences, and guarantee accountability

How PFAS chemicals affect women, pregnancy and human development: Health actors call for urgent action to phase them out

‘Forever chemicals’ widespread in disposable food packaging from popular fast-food chains across Europe, new study shows

New study suggests association between early pregnancy PFOA exposure and increased risk of miscarriage during first trimester

The problem of PFAS in Europe – joint NGO flyer

The “forever chemicals” that are harming our health: PFAS

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