The EU now has laws to protect human health from harmful chemicals in our environments, products and processes.
Some of the EU’s newest laws, such as REACH and the new pesticides package, attempt to address long-term chronic exposures. These laws are based on the principle of precaution, which means acting for the protection of health and the environments when scientific doubts about the safety of chemicals arise. However, this approach is incomplete and challenges remain, for example:
- There is no means of fast-tracking temporary protective measures in response to early warnings;
- The laws do not account for low dose and combination effects, and vulnerable groups (such as children, elderly and the infirm) are largely unaccounted for
- Some categories of harmful properties are not included (e.g. neurotoxic, immunotoxic; endocrine or developmental disruption) or lack established methods of identification.
HEAL’s Chemicals Health Monitor is helping to build a toxics free future by advocating for EU and international chemicals policies to take a precautionary approach. www.chemicalshealthmonitor.org
Previous News on our policy work
20 environmental, occupation/workers and health organisations from across Europe urge EU Commission President Barroso and the EU Commission to put the EU on the path for significantly reducing exposure to endocrine disruptors. In a joint letter, the groups outline why comprehensive criteria, a far-sighted strategy and reviewing EDCs in REACH are needed to tackle the global EDCs threat. Read more...
Why human biomonitoring is important for public health and policy-makers
Support from EU decision-makers for human biomonitoring is growing. Measuring contaminants in our bodies can help politicians to fine tune or even launch new policies, allowing them to identify priorities and provide an early warning on potential threats to public health. Read more...
Leading scientist on EDCs speaks on “winning back” public health
Andreas Kortenkamp, author of two major reports on endocrine disruptors for the EU Commission, gave a lecture in Paris on tackling EDCs to win back public health. The meeting was organised by HEAL member Réseau Environnement Santé (RES). Read more...
EDC Free campaign website launched by coalition of public interest group
An informal coalition of European public interest groups, concerned about how endocrine disruptors (EDCs) may be harming health, has recently launched an EDC Free website outlining a campaign call to action for an EDC Free Europe. Read more...
EFSA opinion on endocrine disruptors proves problematic
The EFSA opinion report on EDCs recently released is problematic in a number of areas, according to HEAL and CHEM Trust. The EFSA opinion is one of several inputs that contribute to the EU’s development of criteria to identify chemicals with endocrine disrupting properties. Read more...
Which endocrine disrupting insecticides are children exposed to everyday?
On 20 March, the results of the first part of an enquiry (EXPPERT enquiry 1) into the everyday exposure to endocrine disrupting pesticides were launched. A series of reports have been developed by Générations Futures to demonstrate the urgency of preventative action on EDCs. Read more...
European Parliament vote on EDCs conveys urgency
The European Parliament vote on 14 March adopting MEP Asa Westlund’s report on the protection of public health from EDCs reflects the serious concern and strong desire to see comprehensive and multifaceted EU policy action. Read more...
WHO/UNEP report calls endocrine disruptors a ’global threat’
A new report by the World Health Organization and the UN Environment Programme concludes that evidence linking hormone-disrupting chemicals to human health problems has grown stronger over the past decade, becoming a "global threat" that should be addressed. Read more...
SIN List update: more chemicals for REACH’s hazardous list, and producer information
The newly released version 2.1 of the SIN (Substitute It Now!) List contains 626 chemicals that the International Chemical Secretariat (ChemSec) has identified as Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC) based on the criteria established by the EU chemical regulation, REACH. Read more...
HEAL welcomes Parliament vote on endocrine disruptors
On 23 January, the EP Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety voted a draft Resolution, sending a clear message to the European Commission to act promptly to protect public health from endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). Read more...
Early-life prevention of chronic diseases
For the first time, a leading international health journal, The Lancet, featured the need to address early-life and toxic exposures to metals, chemicals and air pollution to help prevent non-communicable diseases. This commentary article was led by a group of scientists and leading health and environmental spokespeople, including Genon Jensen, Executive Director of HEAL. Read more...
France bans BPA in food packaging
France is now another country which has taken action to reduce exposure to endocrine disrupters. HEAL member Reseau Environnement Santé (RES) and partner La Mutuelle Familiale, a French public health insurer commend this historic vote to ban BPA in food packaging. Read more...
European Parliament puts Endocrine Disruptors on the agenda
The European Parliament’s Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety will soon vote on a report on the Protection of Public Health from Endocrine Disruptors (EDCs). HEAL urges further strengthening of the report in order to lay the basis for an ambitious new EU Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDC) strategy, for high quality criteria to identify EDCs and for a sound review of EDCs treatment in REACH authorisation. Read more...
Revising the EU Strategy on Endocrine Disruptors: nearing a decisive moment
Read a commentary from HEAL in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health this month highlighting why the time is right for urgent action and a new strategy on EDCs. Learn more …
EU bio-monitoring highlights exposure to harmful chemicals in mothers and children
Analysis of 4,000 urine and hair samples in 17 European countries collected under the first EU-wide human biomonitoring project COPHES/DEMOCOPHES suggests that all mothers and children have chemicals in their bodies that should not be there. The findings reveal that the human body is contaminated with small levels of mercury, cadmium, cotinine and five phthalates (EDCs used in plastics). HEAL has been a partner in the COPHES project to highlight especially the policy implications. Learn more …
Alarm created by EFSA announcement on EDCs
HEAL and 19 other NGOs have written to the European Commissioners for Health and Environment about the request from DG SANCO to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) for a scientific opinion on identifying endocrine disruptors. The NGOs point out that DG Environment has led the process to formulate such criteria for over a year. They are concerned about duplication of efforts, provide a reminder on concerns about the reliability and impartiality of prior EFSA work on endocrine disruptors, and ask how the EFSA opinion will be compatible with the need for horizontal criteria that will cover all legislation. Read more …
HEAL Policy Workshop on Chronic Diseases and Endocrine Disruptors (EDCs)
HEAL held a policy workshop on chronic diseases and endocrine disruptors (EDCs) on 14 September in conjunction with HEAL’s Annual General Assembly. The morning workshop featured external speakers and presentations of case studies from HEAL’s own member organisations. Learn more ...
Global consensus achieved on EDCs
HEAL welcomed the global community’s resolution recognising the likely adverse effects of endocrine disruptors on human health at the recent SAICM meeting. The risks posed by endocrine disruptors were recognised as an emerging global issue at the Third International Conference on Chemicals Management (ICCM3) paving the way for greater international cooperation and more information to address health and environmental risks linked to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). HEAL believes this resolution will mean greater cooperative efforts among health-affected groups to address common origins of disease, promote effective policy, and reduce exposure to EDCs. Read more …
EU high level conference on EDCs – the tipping point?
The European Commission held a high level conference “Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals: Current challenges in science and policy" on June 11-12. The presentations and discussion made clear that a tipping point had been reached in the science since the Weybridge meeting held in 1996. Learn more…
Scientists emphasize chemical and nutritional origins of common diseases
The scientific consensus statement from the recent ‘PPTOX’ conference on environmental and nutritional stressors in the developmental origins of disease has been published in the journal ‘Environmental Health’. Signed by 33 scientists, the paper entitled ‘Developmental Origins of Non-Communicable Disease: Implications for Research and Public Health’, is now open for further signatures. Learn more ...
Policy workshop: Chronic diseases and Endocrine disruptors (EDCs)
A growing body of scientific evidence links endocrine disruptors (EDCs) to chronic diseases. A policy workshop that HEAL is organizing on 14 September aims to highlight the science and tools on the links between EDCs and chronic diseases, and the important role that groups working on these diseases can play in this critical dossier for human health. Learn more ...
Response to European Commission’s position on chemical mixtures
Health environmental and consumer groups expressed their deep concern at the Communication from the European Commission on people’s exposure to mixtures of chemicals, the so-called “cocktail effect”, especially as it relates to endocrine disrupting chemicals. Learn more…
Challenges and solutions in the regulation of chemicals with endocrine disrupting properties
The EU is developing an agreed way to identify chemicals with endocrine disrupting properties, for future regulatory action. To ensure these criteria catch harmful EDCs and enable swift reduction of exposures to protect public health, HEAL advocates that important scientific studies be used and that chemicals are not excused on the basis of a misleading indicator of risk. Find out more here…
As world leaders come together for the Rio+20 conference on sustainable development, HEAL and many other civil society organizations from around the globe urge them to agree on good outcomes to reduce exposure to hazardous chemicals. The Global Common Statement for a Toxics-Free Future was initiated by the International POPs Elimination Network (IPEN) to elevate public awareness and catalyze political leadership for action to protect families, communities, workers and the environment from hazardous chemicals today, for a more hopeful tomorrow. Learn more…
Preventing cancer incidence starts with a strong chemicals policy
A new study of the Flemish Cancer League (Vlaamse Liga tegen Kanker – VLK) analyses in depth the implications of chemicals policy on cancer incidence. It stresses the importance of strong EU legislation to reduce exposure to hazardous chemicals which will have effects at local and national level. Learn more …
Industry asked for substitution case stories
Industry produces and uses tens of thousands of chemicals to make the products we use in our everyday lives. However, hundreds of those chemicals have been linked to serious adverse health effects, such as cancer, developmental disorders and infertility. Environmental, health, consumers and women’s organizations are calling on companies to provide substitution examples (or case stories) to an EU-funded project called SUBSPORT, where they can showcase their efforts in substituting hazardous chemicals with safer alternatives. Learn more…
- Related publication: Call on industry to provide substitution case stories
US expert warns on feminisation of boys
Professor Shanna Swan, a leading US scientist and expert on phthalates, was at EU Parliament on 12 April 2012 to present EU decision makers with her latest research findings on the health impacts of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). Professor Swan highlighted her work linking exposure to phthalates and a feminisation of boys exposed in utero.
Learn more...
Daily chemical exposure adds to obesity and diabetes risk
Scientific evidence provides new urgency for banning certain chemicals to protect health. Hormone disrupting chemicals, also called endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), in food and consumer products may be causing obesity and diabetes. Learn more …
Report paves way for ban on "gender bender" hormone-disrupting chemicals
The European Commission has released a major report on the science of defining and identifying Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs). This report provides the way forward for taking action to reduce exposure through the various EU laws. Learn more...
Previous Action taken
Public Consultation on most harmful chemicals under REACH.
European Chemicals Agency gathering input on 10 chemicals nominated as Substances of Very High Concern. General support or specific input from interested parties welcome. Deadline 18 April 2013
EFSA public consultation: Draft scientific opinion on the safety of artificial sweetener aspartame
All stakeholders and interested parties are invitied to contribute - Deadline 15 February 2013
ECHA launches a public consultation on 54 potential Substances of Very High Concern
The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has launcheda public consultation on 54 potential Substances of Very High Concern. Interested parties are requested to provide a non-confidential version of their comments/information in the relevant field(s) of the commenting form of each substance, which ECHA may make available to the public. The deadline is 18 October 2012. Interested parties can post their comments on the ECHA website. Act now!
Public consultation: Update of the European Union’s Implementation Plan for the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)
The European Commission is drawing up a plan for the implementation of the Union’s obligations under the Stockholm Convention. Contributions should be made by 25 October. Learn more and contribute to the consultation here – Act now!
Give your input on triclosan in cosmetic products
The European Commission has launched a public consultation on triclosan in cosmetic products. Act now to ban triclosan from cosmetic products for consumers and to limit its use only to medical uses if there is a need. The deadline for input is 19 October 2012. Learn more and to submit your opintion - Act now!
Submit data on Bisphenol-A in food contact materials
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) is looking for data on the occurrence and migration of Bisphenol-A (BPA) in materials such as polycarbonate bottles and internal lining of cans. Member States, research institutions, academia, food business operators, packaging business operators and other stakeholders are invited to submit data on Bisphenol A, in particular on the occurrence data in food and beverages intended for human consumption, the migration data from food contact materials, and the occurrence data in food contacts materials.
Data should be transmitted using the EFSA web interface “Data Collection Framework (DCF) at https://dcf.efsa.europa.eu/dcf-war by 31 July 2012. Act now!
Be involved in public consultation with new scientific evidence on risks of phthalates DINP and DIDP
The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has launched a public consultation on a draft report reviewing the science on phthalates, DINP and DIDP. ECHA is looking for new and relevant scientific evidence that may not have been assessed. Once this consultation period is over, ECHA’s Risk Assessment Committee (RAC) will give a scientific opinion on the draft report taking into account comments received from the public. Comment on the draft report by 31 July 2012. Act now!
In this section:
