| SUBSCRIBE | BECOME A MEMBER

Toxic Chemicals

10 ways to protect our health and the environment

  • 13th September 2019
Preventing environmental pollution can save lives. There is clear scientific evidence on how environmental, chemical and air pollution as well as climate change threaten and impact our health. Europe has a real opportunity to protect and improve Europeans’ health and prevent major chronic health epidemics - here are ten ways how.
READ MORE

European civil society groups raise questions about industry-funded study on E171 toxicity and call on decision-makers to support the French ban on unnecessary food additive

  • 12th September 2019
A crucial European meeting to discuss the French ban of E171 - the food additive version of titanium dioxide - is due to take place on Monday 16th September. Civil society groups across Europe raise questions about a new industry study released ahead of this meeting and warn against diverting decision-makers’ attention from the already existing evidence of the potential health threats posed by E171.
READ MORE

La déclaration de l’EFSA reconnaissant les effets nocifs du chlorpyrifos sur la santé humaine ajoute à l’urgence d’une interdiction totale

  • 6th August 2019
La semaine dernière, l'Agence européenne de sécurité alimentaire (EFSA) a reconnu dans une déclaration publique que le chlorpyrifos est nocif pour la santé humaine et ne remplit pas les critères de renouvellement sur le marché européen[1]. Une coalition d'ONG rassemblant certaines organisations comme Health And Environment Alliance (HEAL), SumOfUs, Pesticides Action Network (PAN) Europe et PAN Allemagne et Générations Futures, salue cette déclaration, qui est un premier pas vers l'interdiction du chlorpyrifos dans les plus brefs délais.
READ MORE

EFSA’s statement acknowledging chlorpyrifos harm for human health adds urgency for a full ban

  • 6th August 2019
Last week, the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) acknowledged in a public statement that chlorpyrifos is harmful to human health and does not meet the criteria for renewal on the European market [1]. A coalition of NGOs including HEAL, SumOfUs, PAN Europe, PAN Germany and Générations Futures welcomes this statement, which is a first step in order to get chlorpyrifos banned as soon as possible.
READ MORE

Will EU ministers support the ban of the pesticide chlorpyrifos?

  • 25th July 2019
The governments of the 28 Member States of the European Union are in the process of deciding on the future of a health-harming pesticide: chlorpyrifos. The Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL), together with other civil society organisations, has written directly to all environment, health and agriculture ministers to express their concerns about the toxicity of this substance.
READ MORE

Environment Council’s demand for more ambitious action on chemicals at start of new European term could lead to major health benefits

  • 26th June 2019
The Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) welcomes the European environment ministers’ demand for more ambitious and swifter action against harmful chemicals from the European Commission, Member States and ECHA. The European Council conclusions agreed upon today lay out the strategic direction that the EU’s future policy on chemicals should take, and highlight in particular REACH, endocrine disruptors, nanomaterials and pharmaceuticals as priority areas.
READ MORE

Food contact materials and chemical contamination

  • 12th June 2019
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.
READ MORE

Webinar – Lessons learned from the approval of chlorpyrifos

  • 5th June 2019
HEAL is delighted to invite you to a new series of webinars dedicated to the health and environmental impacts of chlorpyrifos, a pesticide widely used across Europe and of which residues are regularly found in our food. Join us for the third and final edition in this exciting new series on Wednesday 12 June, 17:00 - 18:00 CET.
READ MORE

How the chemicals in food contact materials are putting our health at risk

  • 23rd May 2019
Nobody should ever have to worry about toxic substances making their way into our food. Yet, if you ask around, most consumers have no idea about the composition of the packaging wrapping their food and drinks, and how this might affect them. Current loopholes in the European legislation on food contact materials have as a result that its objective to provide a high level of protection for health is not fulfilled.
READ MORE