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Toxic Chemicals

New science commentary: How fossil fuel-derived pesticides and plastics harm health, biodiversity, and the climate

  • 21st May 2020
A new commentary published in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology shows how three global health threats - chemical pollution (including endocrine disrupting chemicals), loss of biodiversity and climate change - are more strongly interlinked than previously thought by their common origins in fossil fuels such as coal, oil, or gas, including that derived from fracking.
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New scientific study highlights non-monotonic dose-response curves and low-dose effects of bisphenol A

  • 20th May 2020
A new scientific study, undertaken as part of the US CLARITY-BPA project, developed a quantitative assessment of the effects of bisphenol A (BPA) exposure on mammary gland development and found a consistent pattern of non-monotonic dose response relationships [2] on a set of over 90 measurements. This demonstrates a causal relationship between exposure to BPA and the health effects observed.
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How endocrine disrupting chemicals affect women’s reproductive health: new factsheet and infographic by the FREIA project

  • 9th March 2020
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.
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International scientists sound alarm bell over harmful chemicals coming in contact with our food

  • 3rd March 2020
An international group of 33 world-renowned scientists published today a peer-reviewed consensus statement on the impact of food contact chemicals on human health and recommended improvements of the assessment of chemicals in a health-protective way. Civil society groups from Europe, the U.S. and Asia have issued a declaration of concern in response to this consensus statement, calling on regulators to upgrade regulatory frameworks in order to protect public health while ensuring a transition away from single-use towards safe and reusable food packaging..
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MEPs block EU Commission proposal that would allow toxic lead in recycled PVC

  • 12th February 2020
Members of the European Parliament today objected to a European Commission proposal to allow lead-contaminated recycled PVC to be sold in the EU. The Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL), ClientEarth and the European Environmental Bureau (EEB) have applauded MEPs for using their power of scrutiny in order to ask the European Commission to walk the talk and keep toxics out of the circular economy, a promise outlined in the European Green Deal.
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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.
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Forever chemicals no more: Belgian premiere of Hollywood movie “Dark Waters” highlights reality of PFAS pollution and the urgency to address it through ambitious regulation

  • 3rd February 2020
Award-winning actor Mark Ruffalo and director Todd Haynes are visiting the European Parliament this Wednesday (5 February) to present the film ‘Dark Waters’, inspired by the true story of an environmental attorney who took on the DuPont company in an environmental suit exposing decades of pollution of drinking water with PFAS. The movie shows the harsh consequences of chemicals pollution, which is a reality in the EU too, and should urgently be addressed as a chemical priority under the European Green Deal.
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The European Green Deal identifies right areas for action but more urgency needed to meet zero pollution ambition and benefit health

  • 11th December 2019
Today, the European Commission presented the European Green Deal plan that sets out many environmental health issues, where the European Union policies such as climate, air or chemicals, can help deliver a zero pollution objective and better health protection for all. However, to achieve the transformational, systemic change needed to address the magnitude of the challenges the world is facing today, the timeline and scope of the European Green Deal will have to better reflect the evidence which clearly makes the case for more urgent action.
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New-born babies in intensive care units exposed to health-harming endocrine disruptors BPA and parabens, new study shows

  • 27th November 2019
New research published today finds that new-borns in intensive care units are in contact with a variety of medical products that contain bisphenol A (BPA) and parabens. Infants are particularly vulnerable to the effects from these endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), causing scientists and health groups alike to demand more comprehensive regulation of EDCs across the board for better protection.
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