European agriculture is pesticide-intensive, relying on the use of numerous hazardous pesticides that can damage both human health and the environment. Pesticides in our food, water, and air can increase the risk of health problems such as cancer and infertility, harm children’s healthy development and disrupt our hormonal systems.
HEAL works with health groups, civil society organisations, and decision-makers to ensure the use of harmful pesticides becomes a thing of the past.
Webinar: Impact of pesticides on human health
The Health and Environment Alliance organises a webinar on the impact of pesticides on human health on the occasion of the Pesticide Action Week 2025. The webinar will see experts from the European Environment Agency and others present their work on this front.
Press note: the EDC-Free coalition urges the European Commission to ban two harmful pesticides from the market in light of new evidence
Press note: HEAL together, with the other EDC-Free Europe coalition campaign partners, are calling on the European Commission to urgently propose the non-renewal of two harmful pesticides—fenoxaprop-P-ethyl and fludioxonil.
The next EU budget: Strengthening financing for zero pollution, climate resilience and disease prevention
In the coming months, EU institutions will negotiate the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF). The MFF is the EU’s long-term budget, usually covering a seven-year period. It details the public spending for different areas of EU policies, including environment and climate action.
The Clean Industrial Deal needs to be a zero-pollution deal
Against the backdrop of an ever-growing body of evidence on the health impacts and cost of people's exposure to pollution, HEAL is concerned that the Clean Industrial Deal misses the opportunity to set the EU on the path for swift and significant pollution reduction and disease prevention. To work for people in the EU and their health, the Clean Industrial Deal needs to be a zero pollution deal, with three principles at its core.
Vision for EU’s agrifood sector must firm up commitments to protect people’s and farmers’ health from health-harming pesticides
Today, the European Commission published its Vision for Agriculture and Food, outlining plans for the European agri-food sector for this 2024-2029 term.
Joint statement: A Roadmap for a Pesticide Phase-Out
85 organisations including HEAL have in January 2025 published a roadmap for a pesticide phase-out: “A swift and just transition to phase out pesticides and safeguard biodiversity and people’s health must remain a top priority for the new European Commission. This goal should be central to the EU’s Vision for Agriculture and Food, which is expected on 19 February 2025.”
Health benefits of a Green Deal approach in Turkey
A new briefing by HEAL (in English and in Turkish), as part of the EU funded CISIP project, underlines the many health benefits that could be gained if Turkish decision-makers implemented stronger Green Deal action. Turkey’s Green Deal Action Plan, launched in 2021, sets 32 objectives and 81 actions, including on a Green and Circular Economy, secure energy supply and sustainable agriculture. However, contrary to the EU Green Deal which was adopted in 2019, the Turkish plan doesn’t set any tangible targets or deadlines.
Q&A on animal testing and chemical safety assessments
We are exposed to a wide mix of potentially harmful chemicals on a daily basis. To assess whether and how exposure to chemical substances can impact our health and the environment, European and national regulatory authorities rely on the results from several testing methods, including animal testing, when performing their safety assessment. In this Q&A, HEAL answers several key questions about the use of animal testing in the European Union.
Pesticides and Health Impacts / Pestisitler ve Sağlığa Etkileri
Pestisitlerin Sağlık Etkileri konusunda Türkiye sağlık sektöründen öneriler
Briefing: HEAL’s response to the public consultations on the EU’s initial assessment of glyphosate
This briefing outlines HEAL's response to two public consultations on the EU's initial assessment of glyphosate, and lists our key concerns about the EU assessment report on the toxicity of the pesticide.
Q&A on animal testing and chemical safety assessments
We are exposed to a wide mix of potentially harmful chemicals on a daily basis. To assess whether and how exposure to chemical substances can impact our health and the environment, European and national regulatory authorities rely on the results from several testing methods, including animal testing, when performing their safety assessment. In this Q&A, HEAL answers several key questions about the use of animal testing in the European Union.
EU should ban brain-harming chlorpyrifos to protect health
Today, the Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) together with Générations Futures, Pesticide Action Network Europe…
Infographic: The impact of harmful pesticides on people’s health and the environment
To answer some of the most frequently asked questions regarding the impact of harmful chemicals on people’s health and the environment, the Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) has launched a new easy-to-use infographic and supporting social media assets.
HEAL and European Cancer Leagues relaunch infographic illustrating how Europe can prevent cancer by tackling environmental pollutants
To mark the start of the European Week Against Cancer 2022, the Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) and the European Cancer Leagues (ECL) have teamed up to relaunch an infographic telling the story behind environmental cancer prevention.
Infographic: Europe needs to ban glyphosate to protect farmers, our health and the environment
Glyphosate is the most widely-used pesticide in the world, despite its well-documented negative health impacts. A new infographic from HEAL explains why the EU must ban glyphosate without delay.
HEAL and European Cancer Leagues launch infographic illustrating how Europe can prevent cancer by tackling environmental pollutants
To mark the start of the European Week Against Cancer 2020, the Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) and the European Cancer Leagues (ECL) have teamed up to launch an infographic telling the story behind environmental cancer prevention.
Fact cards: Ban the toxic pesticide chlorpyrifos from our plates
The chemical chlorpyrifos has serious negative effects on our health, especially for children. Yet it…
The next EU budget: Strengthening financing for zero pollution, climate resilience and disease prevention
In the coming months, EU institutions will negotiate the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF). The MFF is the EU’s long-term budget, usually covering a seven-year period. It details the public spending for different areas of EU policies, including environment and climate action.
Joint statement: A Roadmap for a Pesticide Phase-Out
85 organisations including HEAL have in January 2025 published a roadmap for a pesticide phase-out: “A swift and just transition to phase out pesticides and safeguard biodiversity and people’s health must remain a top priority for the new European Commission. This goal should be central to the EU’s Vision for Agriculture and Food, which is expected on 19 February 2025.”
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 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.
CSO statement: The EU Commission must provide guarantees on climate, nature and public health
Together with 180+ organisations, HEAL cal on the EU Commission to provide guarantees on climate, nature and public health, ensuring the protection of people.
Letter to the President of the European Commission on protecting people’s health against climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss
HEAL calls on European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to commit to protecting people’s health from the triple crisis during her second term in a letter. HEAL urges her to safeguard and strengthen the EU climate and environmental acquis for better health, and accelerate on the zero pollution path, including for the foreseen reform of the EU chemicals law REACH.
Press note: the EDC-Free coalition urges the European Commission to ban two harmful pesticides from the market in light of new evidence
Press note: HEAL together, with the other EDC-Free Europe coalition campaign partners, are calling on the European Commission to urgently propose the non-renewal of two harmful pesticides—fenoxaprop-P-ethyl and fludioxonil.
Vision for EU’s agrifood sector must firm up commitments to protect people’s and farmers’ health from health-harming pesticides
Today, the European Commission published its Vision for Agriculture and Food, outlining plans for the European agri-food sector for this 2024-2029 term.
Worrying news for health: MEPs reject watered down and hollowed out pesticides law
Members of the European Parliament voted against the draft text for a Sustainable Use of Pesticides Regulation (SUR), following a substantial hollowing out of the draft law. This is worrying news for health.
Press note: Good and bad news for health as the ENVI Committee votes on pesticides
The European Parliament's Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI), voted on the draft proposal for a Sustainable use of Pesticides Regulation (SUR) and the non-binding objection to the renewal of the widely used pesticide glyphosate. While the objection for non-renewal of glyphosate failed, the SUR was adopted, but in order to truly protect health more ambition is needed.
Press note: Health groups react to European Commission’s failed attempt to reauthorise glyphosate for 10 years
Today, the European Commission failed to get enough support for its proposal to reauthorise the use of glyphosate, the world’s most widely used pesticide which is associated with risks of cancer and other health disorders, for another ten years.
Press note: EU government representatives to discuss glyphosate renewal 12-13 October
On 12-13 October 2023, EU member states’ representatives convening in the European Commission’s Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed (SCoPAFF) are expected to discuss and potentially vote on the Commission’s proposal to renew glyphosate’s market license for a period of 10 years.
Scientific evidence of glyphosate link to cancer dismissed in ongoing EU assessment, new report reveals
A HEAL report published today shows that scientific evidence that glyphosate is carcinogenic has so far been dismissed in the EU scientific assessment that will form the basis for the re-approval discussion of its EU market license.
Carcinogenicity assessment was flawed for 4 out of 10 pesticides, new report shows
A new PAN Germany and HEAL review of carcinogenicity assessments of pesticide active ingredients shows 40 percent of them are not carried out in compliance with existing European guidelines, leading to possible continued exposure of farmers and consumers to cancer-causing pesticides. In 30 percent of the cases significant details were missing from the dossiers, raising uncertainties about how European authorities came to a conclusion.
