HEAL advocates for policies to benefit peoples’ health and the environment
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Press contact: Nea Pakarinen nea@env-health.org
Briefing: How clean air action can help address socio-economic health inequalities
As EU member states, regional and local authorities prepare to implement the revised Ambient Air Quality Directive (AAQD), this briefing by the Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) argues that decision-makers and authorities should pay particular attention to addressing socio-economic inequalities in their clean air efforts. The swift transposition and implementation of the new rules, with strengthened administrative collaboration and the full utilisation of financial support schemes, promise significant progress towards cleaner air across Europe. Improved air quality will be beneficial to everyone and contribute to preventing health inequalities for those living in socioeconomically disadvantaged areas.
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.
Reducing air, chemicals and pesticides pollution for healthy brains: new research findings
HEAL recently highlighted the importance of continued EU action to reduce pollution in a panel discussion at the Brain Innovation Days. The science on how exposure to air, chemicals or pesticides pollution harms healthy brain development keeps growing: a recent review of 40 empirical studies conducted across four continents has shed light on the concerning link between outdoor air pollution and children's brain development.
Polish Public Health Council publishes first-ever position on the health impact of air pollution and climate change
HEAL in Poland welcomed the first position (in Polish) of the Public Health Council on the steps necessary to reduce the exposure of people in Poland air pollution and the effects of climate change. The Public Health Council is an advisory body to the Minister of Health. Their positioning is particularly important in the context of the revised Ambient Air Quality Directive (AAQD) which entered into force on 10 December 2024.
Joint letter to Commissioner for agriculture on the Vision for Agriculture and Food
HEAL is among a number of organisations who have written to the new Agriculture Commissioner Christophe Hansen to offer our help and expertise in shaping policies to support a transition to fair, healthy, and sustainable food and farming systems.
Joint letter to EU Commission President on enabling civil society engagement to strengthen democracy and support the European project
In light of questions raised in the European Parliament’s Budgetary Control (CONT) Committee on EU…
Joint letter to EU Commission President: Support for the PFAS restriction proposal at EU level
Scientists and civil society organisations have sent a letter to EU Commission President Von der Leyen asking her to support an undisturbed continuation of the evaluation of the universal PFAS restriction proposal in its unchanged form, so that a significant and timely reduction in PFAS emissions can be achieved.
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.
Press note: New Study – Chemical exposure can lead to higher risk of metabolic syndrome in children
Press note: New Study – Chemical exposure can lead to higher risk of metabolic syndrome in children
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.
Joint letter to Commissioner for agriculture on the Vision for Agriculture and Food
HEAL is among a number of organisations who have written to the new Agriculture Commissioner Christophe Hansen to offer our help and expertise in shaping policies to support a transition to fair, healthy, and sustainable food and farming systems.
Joint letter to EU Commission President on enabling civil society engagement to strengthen democracy and support the European project
In light of questions raised in the European Parliament’s Budgetary Control (CONT) Committee on EU…
Joint letter to EU Commission President: Support for the PFAS restriction proposal at EU level
Scientists and civil society organisations have sent a letter to EU Commission President Von der Leyen asking her to support an undisturbed continuation of the evaluation of the universal PFAS restriction proposal in its unchanged form, so that a significant and timely reduction in PFAS emissions can be achieved.
Letter to EU Commission President: Safety of food contact materials: 20 years of inaction on EU’s basic rules
The letter, signed by more than 50 organisations, expresses concern about the current state of the EU Food Contact Materials Regulation revision (EC 1935/2004) due to its significant delay.
Joint letter to ministers of health on shaping a comprehensive global plastics treaty
Leading up to the fifth and final round of negotiations for the Global Plastics Treaty that will take place 25 November - 1 December 2024, in Busan, South Korea, HEAL together with Health Care Without Harm (HCWH) Europe wrote to all European health ministers highlighting the urgent need to address the severe health and environmental impacts of plastics, including in the healthcare sector.
Joint letter calling for a ban of flufenacet
A coalition of 49 environmental and health organisations is now urging the European Commission and EU member states to immediately ban flufenacet in a joint letter.
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.
Europe’s raw materials rush does not justify keeping workers in the dark about lithium’s dangers
The increasing reliance on lithium compounds in critical sectors should be reason enough for European authorities to support a thorough investigation of their properties. They also demand a speedy agreement on how to communicate about them to workers and end-users. But instead, a scientifically-backed proposal to classify three lithium salts for their toxicity to reproduction under Europe’s harmonised hazard identification system is at a dead end.
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.
