Chemicals and Pesticides

Indoor air pollution - Towards healthy air

The European Federation of Allergy and Airways Diseases Patients’ Associations published the results of the ‘Towards Healthy Air in Dwellings in Europe - THADE’ project which points out cost-effective measures to address indoor air pollution.
The co-funded (DG SANCO) project started in 2002 and aims to compile evidence-based data about exposure to indoor air pollution and its health effects, particularly about allergies, asthma and other respiratory diseases.
The report focuses on (...)

CIEH Conference on health and Environment policies

The Chartered Institute of Environmental Health - CIEH will hold its annual conference on public environmental and health policies, in Bournemouth on the 5-7 september 2006.
The conference aims to provide the lastest updated information on environmental health. Entitled ’Here to keep you safe’, it will debate on the key strategies and policies to address environmental health. It will also try to find ways to successfully deliver and apply health and environmentally-friendly policies. (...)

REACH and breastfeeding: Breast is still the best

EPHA Environment Network, International Babyfood Action Network (IBFAN) and Friends of the Earth have joined forces to protect breastfeeding in the campaign for safer EU chemical policy, known as REACH
On Tuesday 27 June 2006, in the European Parliament, Friends of the Earth Europe launched “Toxic Inheritance”, a report revealing that traces of 300 man-made chemicals are found in breast milk.
The report examines studies that analyse breast milk to measure persistent pollutants (...)

A chemical health scare found in baby milk

A chemical health scare in baby milk triggers controversial reactions from health NGOs and the European Food Safety Agency
Before the Christmas break, Italian and Spanish authorities tested baby milk products and the results showed that the chemicals used in labels swept through the cartons into the milk.
According to EPHA Environment Network and Greenpeace, very little information is available about the safety of ITX, which is produced in quantities below 1,000 tonnes. However, it is (...)

Improving quality of life for food allergic people - The Europrevall project

The European Federation of Allergy and Airways Diseases Patients’ Associations (EFA) (an EPHA member) is one of 54 partners in the EU-funded mutli-disciplinary intergrated project, EuroPrevall - a project on the Prevalence, Cost, and Basis of Food Allergy across Europe. In this project EFA is leader of the allergy consumer stakeholder group.
EuroPrevall aims to deliver improved quality of life for food allergic people by developing common information and tools for use by European food (...)

Toxic chemicals and women’s health

Women in Europe for a Common Future in cooperation with the Social Ecological Institute and Karat Coalition will hold a seminar titled “Toxic chemicals in our daily life from a women’s health perspective. Do we have to accept the present situation?”.
The Conference will take place in Warsaw on the 6th of December 2004.
The seminar will deal with the impact of toxic chemicals, which exists in our daily lives, on women’s health. Examples include toxic chemicals in toys, cosmetics (...)

Green Doctors Ukraine prioritises chemicals and reducing tobacco smoke

The Green Doctors, Ukraine participated as a member of the NGO delegation to the 5th Ministerial Conference "Environment for Europe", Kyiv, Ukraine, 21-23 May 2003. During the conference, they launched two brochures "Chemical Safety and Health" and "Environmental Tobacco Smoke and Health" in Russian. The second brochure is part of their project in support for the Framework Convention Process under the WHO "Channelling the Outrage" campaign.
In conjunction with ECO-Forum, the Green (...)

WECF urges resistance against industry attacks

Women in Europe for a Common Future (WECF) have called on civil society groups to urgently respond to the EU consultation on a draft new chemicals policy. (The deadline for comments was July 10).
In a press release following their conference 28-29 June, they say that the European chemicals industry and the United States government have together mounted one of the biggest-ever lobbying campaigns against tighter chemicals controls.
"This [industry and American administration lobbying] is (...)

EPHA presentation: ’Public Health Issues and Pesticides’

Please find below a presentation on ’Public Health Issues and Pesticides’.
The presentation was given by Tamsin Rose at DG Environment Stakeholders Conference on Pesticides, held in Brussels on 4 November 2002.

European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) inaugurated

The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) was officially opened on 3 June. Located in Helsinki, ECHA is responsible for managing the implementation of the REACH requirements in relation to the registration, evaluation, authorisation and restriction processes of chemical substances.
ECHA formally began its activities a year ago and its work has been devoted to intensive preparations, including staff recruitment and establishing support structures and procedures. On 1st June 2008 two key (...)

Commission supports proposed pesticide legislation

Amid failure to reach an agreement in the Council of Agricultural Ministers and fierce lobbying on the part of the pesticide industry: the new EU commissioner for health, Androula Vassiliou showed strong support for the proposed legislation on pesticide approval.
Member States failed to find a common position in a meeting of the Council of Agricultural Ministers about new EU legislation on pesticide approval. Most importantly, a compromise could not be reached on thecut-off criteria to ban (...)

Primer on Environment and Health in Europe published

The Health and Environment Primer provides an introduction to European environmental health policy. The booklet sketches out basic environmental health concepts and maps out recent developments in the environment and health arena. It covers European policy developments in an accessible and approachable text that combines history with information about relevant organisations and web-page references. The primer is a resource to aid people can refer to find out about the important environment (...)

**Updated** MEPs emphasize health and environment with pesticide regulation

New EU legislation on pesticides was approved with amendments by the European Parliament on 23 October 2007. Parliament supported the ban on aerial pesticides and the prohibition of use of pesticides in buffer zones around water.
MEPs voted to revise the criteria and procedures for approving pesticides. The purpose of the legislation is to:
improve protection of health and the environment
support farming
reduce animal testing
boost competition among pesticide manufacturers.
No (...)

WHO addresses children’s environmental health risk

The World Health Organization (WHO) has released its first ever report highlighting children’s special susceptibility to harmful chemical exposures at different periods of their growth.
This new volume of the WHO is in cooperation with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) within the International Programme on Chemical Safety. Published as part of the WHO Environmental Health Criteria series, Principles for Evaluating Health Risks in (...)

European pilot project in Human Biomonitoring

In the framework of the 2004-2010 European Environment and Health action Plan and under the 7th Framework Programme, the European Commission is preparing a project pilot on human biomonitoring (HBM). The project aim to measure pollutants in human tissues and fluid. The data can be used to fine tune or even launch environment and health policy, and allow policy makers to identify priorities. In this project NGOs play a important role
Objectives of the Human Biomonitoring
HBM calculates (...)

Mercury: towards an overall EU ban

In the framework of the European Commission, the EU mercury strategy launched in 2005 the European Parliament work on the mercury ban. First of all, on the 20 June 2007, the European Parliament plenary session approved a draft regulation on the banning of exports and the safe storage of mercury by 2010. Secondly, the plenary session of the European Parliament approved a mercury ban on measuring instruments for domestic use, with a two year exemption for barometer manufacturers. (...)

"Dirty air and your lungs"- a HEAL and ELF Factsheet for children

A Factsheet specifically designed for children has been produced and published by the European Lung Foundation and the Health & Environment Alliance in May 2007.
The Factsheet is part of the project “The Environment and Lung Disease” carried out jointly by the Health and Environment Alliance, the European Lung Foundation and the European Respiratory Society with the aim to inform children aged between 5 and 11 about outdoor air pollution, and in particular how outdoor air (...)

Awards highlight eco-tech measures that can save children’s lives

Fifteen top contestants demonstrated on 13 June 2007 in Vienna what a combination of simple technologies and community organisation can do to protect the environment for the sake of children’s health.
The awards
The prizes were presented during the first morning of the inter-governmental meeting in Vienna to assess progress in Children’s Environment and Health Plans for Europe, known as CEHAPE.
The five categories for the awards were based on CEHAPE’s four regional priority goals plus a (...)

Enforcing Transatlantic Links Between Environmental NGO’s

The Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL, Europe) and the Collaborative on Health and the Environment (CHE, U.S.) have set up a partnership which aims to raise the level of public and professional dialogue on the impact of the environment on human health.
The partnership will focus on:
Developing a stronger relationship with patients, health professionals and scientific organizations and individuals.
Furthering precautionary approaches to the management of environmental contaminants.
How (...)

Maternal-child exposure via the placenta to environmental chemical substances"

A new study reveals that some pesticides banned in many EU countries but still being used in Spain, are causing disorders in unborn children.
The analysis was developed at San Cecilio University Hospital , in Granada, with 308 women who had given birth to healthy children between 2000 and 2002. The results are alarming: 100% of these pregnant women had at least one pesticide in their placenta, but the average rate amounts to eight different kinds of chemical substances.The most common was a (...)

*UPDATED* NGO input for the CEHAPE mid term review Conference, Vienna 13-15 June

*UPDATED with the results of the NGO coordination event.* Opportunities to coordinate the NGO input in different health areas for the Intergovernmental Mid Term Review Conference of the Children’s Environmental and Health Action Plan for Europe. Especially relevant for organisations working on physical activity.
Bacground information
In 2004, European governments signed a Declaration on a Children’s Environmental and Health Action Plan for Europe (CEHAPE) in Budapest.
In 2007, the (...)

**Updated** The NGO mobilisation for a strong REACH

*UPDATED with the vote of the European Parliament* On 13 December 2006, a plenary vote by Members of the European Parliament led to the adoption of the new EU chemicals legislation REACH. However, according to health, environment, consumer and women’s advocacy groups, there are major loopholes in REACH which will still allow many chemicals that can cause serious health problems, to continue being used in manufacturing and consumer goods.
The new system is called REACH (Registration, (...)

Commission bans 22 hair dye substances to increase consumer safety

Amid concerns of potential bladder cancer risks, the European Commission has banned 22 hair dye substances. The ban is based upon the recommendations of the Scientific Committee of Consumer Products (SCCP) advising the Commission following the conclusions of a scientific study on the long term use of certain hair dyes.
In a public consultation, the Commission had asked producers to provide safety files for their substances. These files, based on scientific expertise, have to prove that a (...)

EEN wins Children’s Environmental Health Recognition Award

In March 2006, EPHA Environment Network received the Children’s Environmental Health Recognition Award from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Children’s Health Protection.
The prize intends to recognise ongoing and sustainable dedication and notable leadership in protecting children from environmental health risks at local, regional, national and international level. It was awarded to EPHA Environment Network for a youth participatory project entitled "It’s (...)

Green Week 2006: Changing our Behaviour to Preserve Biodiversity

The European Commission 2006 Green Week, which ran from 30 May to 2 June 2006 focuses on changing people’s behaviour with regard to the preservation of biodiversity.
The Greek Week 2006 Conference Programme looks at key aspects of EU biodiversity policy and potential approaches for strengthening cooperation with stakeholders to ensure the 2010 target is reached. The programme is structured around four main strands:
Biodiversity as a global issue;
The management of natural resources; (...)

Latvian environmental NGO campaigns for a stronger REACH

Pasaules Dabas Fonds, a Latvian environmental organisation, in association with WWF, is participating in the international Detox Campaign for a safer EU legislation on chemical products.
The campaign aims to warn the public that many everyday goods contain toxic chemicals that accumulate in human blood. These man-made chemicals may be carcinogenic, allergenic, or hormone disrupting.
Currently a new EU regulatory framework for chemicals is being drafted and European health and Environment (...)

The EU to ban mercury in fever thermometers

The European Commission has announced that it plans to ban mercury in fever thermoter, as part of the EU mercury strategy adopted by the European Commission in 2005.
Environmental and health NGOs, in particular EPHA Environment Network (EEN) have welcomed the Commission’s proposal for the restriction of the marketing and use of mercury in certain measuring and control devices.
Besides, on Tuesday 14 March 2006, the European Parliament voted Mario Matsakis (ALDE CY)report which conveys (...)

Reducing water related diseases in Europe

85 million (10%) people living in the World Health Organisation (WHO) European Region do not have access to improved sanitation and over 41 million (5%) still lack access to a safe drinking-water supply. Access to safe water has been recognised as a basic human right and yet, the WHO estimates that 13 500 children under 14 years of age die every year due to poor water conditions.
The entry into force of the first legally binding international agreement in the fight against water-related (...)

More than 2 million employees are exposed to carcinogenic chemicals in France

2 370 000 employees - ie 13.5% of the spectrum - are exposed regularly to one or more carcinogenic products, says a French study published in July 2005.
The study called SUMER 2003, was driven by the French Ministry of Employment in the framework of the Plan "Health at Work". Its goal was to measure wage-earners exposure to carcinogenic chemicals.
The one-year study was conducted by 1,800 ocupational health professionals. They had to identify the level of exposure to chemical products for (...)

Ban on ’dirty dozen’ chemicals may be extended

A conference to review the UN-backed Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) was held in Punta del Este, Urugay, 2-6 May 2005.
POPs are some of the most dangerous all man-made products or wastes, which cause deaths, diseases and birth defects. They build up in fatty tissues and traces can be found in every person. The convention, which entered into force last year, therefore bans a ’dirty dozen’ of these highly hazardous substances. Of the 151 signatories to the (...)

EU scientists find no link between parabens and breast cancer

Parabens are a group of chemicals widely used as preservatives in food products, medicines and cosmetics such as lipsticks and deodorants.
The Cosmetic Directive of 1976 sets the maximum concentration for their use in cosmetic products.
Since then, a number of scientific publications have suggested a link between breast cancer and the use of paraben-containing deodorants and antiperspirants.
DG SANCO requested an opinion from the Scientific Committee on Consumer Products (SCCP) . The (...)

Events on health and environment

From scattered data to structured knowledge: towards an integrated European chemicals information system
On 25 October 2004, the European Environmental Agency will organise a workshop aiming to discuss data monitoring and availability of information on concentrations, exposures and effects of chemicals in different natural and urban environments.
More specifically, the purpose of the discussion will be to define which kind of data is needed to provide useful information for a safe (...)

New website on Endocrine Disrupters

A new website on Endocrine Disrupters, by the Department of Food Safety and Veterinary Public Health of the Italian Istituto Superiore di Sanità, has just been released.
It states that: Endocrine Disrupters are a heterogeneous ensemble of substances which include persistent organic pollutants, agrochemicals, biocides, industrial compounds, etc. Thus, exposure to several ED may occur through foods, water, environment or at workplace.
Reproductive health, intrauterine as well as postnatal (...)

Skin Deep: an assessment of ingredients in personal care products

On June 7 the Environmental Working Group, a non-profit group based in Washington DC, published the findings of a study reporting that most cosmetics and other personal care products sold in the U.S. contain chemicals that have never been assessed for safety.
The group’s report, Skin Deep, mainly aims at letting consumers know what chemicals might hide in soap, shampoo, toothpaste and other products. The results of the assessment have been collected in an online database containing safety (...)

Children’s brain development harmed by chemicals

The brain development of many children today in Europe has been harmed by man-made chemicals. Details of studies showing that chemicals are seriously impacting on children’s intelligence are highlighted in a new WWF report. The report, Compromising our Children, brings together the latest research on the impacts of man-made chemicals to which we are all exposed.
Disturbingly, it reveals that chemicals harm children’s brain development and coordination at levels that have been found in (...)

Toxic Fire Retardants Discovered in Dust Taken From Computers in Offices & Schools

In the first nationwide analysis of brominated fire retardants in dust samples swiped from computers, the Computer Take-Back Campaign (CTBC) and Clean Production Action (CPA) found toxic chemicals known to be reproductive and neurological hazards in animal lab tests. The highest levels found were a form of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) called deca-BDE one of the most widely used fire retardant chemicals in the electronics industry.
PBDEs are increasingly being found in human (...)

Public health impact of September 11 highlighted

The US National Institute of Environmental Health Science has published the results of monitoring the health impact of the destruction of the World Trade Centre on emergency workers and local residents.
The researchers noted show exposure-related increases in new-onset cough, wheeze, shortness of breath, and bronchial hyperreactivity more than 2 1/2 years after the disaster. In addition, follow-up of pregnant women who were inside or near the WTC buildings on September 11 found a two-fold (...)

A worldwide appeal to control chemical pollution

Scientists and researchers at the international colloquium in May the 7th at UNESCO in Paris on "cancer environment and society" organised by French cancer research organisation ARTAC gave their support to the Paris Appeal, which will be presented to the United Nations, the European Union, and national decision makers at the end of 2004.
This "Paris Appeal" is to call national decision-makers, European Authorities, international organisations, and specifically the United Nations (...)

Toxic Chemicals Contaminate American Houses

In the first nationwide tests for brominated fire retardants, known as PBDEs (polybrominated diphenyl ethers), the Environmental Working Group (EWG) found unexpectedly high levels of these neurotoxic chemicals in house dust. EWG’s tests indicate that consumer products such as computers, TVs, furniture, carpets and drapes, not industrial releases, are the most likely sources of the rapid buildup of PBDEs in people, animals and the environment. In particular, their findings raise concerns (...)

New report from Pesticide Action Network

A new report entitled ¨Chemical Trespass: Pesticides in Our Bodies and Corporate Accountability¨ has been released in May 2004 by Pesticide Action Network North America (PAN).
The report makes public an analysis of pesticide-related data collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in a study on the levels of chemicals in peoples’ bodies throughout the U.S.
The report concludes that many U.S. residents carry toxic pesticides in their bodies above government assessed (...)

Round table on chemical safety

On May 17th, the European Centre on Sustainable Policies for Human and Environment will organise a round table titled "REACHing beyond POPs and PIC: EU leadership in global chemical safety".
This event aims to mark the entry into force of the Stockholm Convention and it follows a similar round table co-hosted by ECOSPHERE and the Pesticide Action Network UK which took place in London on February 24th to note the coming into force of the Rotterdam (PIC) Convention.
For more information (...)

MEPs contamined by 76 different toxic chemicals

WWF and The Co-operative Bank took and analysed the blood of 47 people from all over Europe in December 2003. These included 39 Members of the European Parliament, 4 Observers from accession countries, 1 former MEP and 3 WWF staff, representing 17 countries in Europe. The results released on 21 April 2004 are unacceptable.
It reveal that every person is contaminated with a cocktail of persistent, bio-accumulative and toxic chemicals including chemicals from each of the 5 groups of chemicals (...)

The Parliament adopted ban on hazardous Ni-Cad batteries

European parliament voted last 20 April 2004 to ban Nickel-Cadmium (Ni-Cad) batteries.
This ban will cover Ni-Cad batteries used in household appliances as well as in power tools.
It also adopted restrictions on the use of lead in non-lead batteries which can be fully replaced by environmentally preferable Alkali-Mangan batteries, and higher collection rates than those proposed by the European Commission.
GREENS-EFA press release (...)

Cancer, environment and society

ARTAC (the French Association for Research on Treatments Against Cancer) organises a conference on "Cancer, environment and society" on 7th May 2004.
EEN Director, Génon Jensen will be amongst the European speakers.
Participants to this conference include representatives from many European and French NGOs working on Environmental issues and the European Commissioner for Environment, Margot Wallström.
This event takes place under the sponsorship of the Nicolas Hulot (...)

UN highlights the environmental impact of old computers

A report from the UN University is calling for global efforts to reduce the environmental damage caused by computer equipment.
Manufacturing computers is materials intensive; the total fossil fuels used to make one desktop computer weigh over 240 kilograms, some 10 times the weight of the computer itself. This is very high compared to many other goods: For an automobile or refrigerator, for example, the weight of fossil fuels used for production is roughly equal to their weights. Also, (...)

The epidemic dimension of asbestos in the US

US environmental think-tank, the Environmental Working Group launched a website on asbestos on March 2004.
Reports on their website highlight that since 1979, at least 43,073 people have died from exposure to this mineral in the US.
EWG predicts at least 100,000 more will die of asbestos-related diseases over the next 10 years and warns that more than 1 million people are still being exposed to it in the everyday environment.
US governement prohibited new uses of asbestos in 1989 after (...)

EU industrial pollution register published

Europe’s first pollutant emission register, EPER, has been published.
The register was launched on 24 February 2004 in Copenhagen, and it will be translated into all 11 official EU languages following initial feedback. Satellite images showing the location of industrial facilities would be upgraded.
Eper contains a wealth of data on emissions of key pollutants, accessible to all via the internet.
Based on reports from EU-15 governments plus Norway, the first edition reports releases of 50 (...)

European chemicals policy reform — from emotions to facts

The European Environmental Bureau (EEB) will be holding a conference to bring together stakeholders during the ongoing debate on the EU Chemicals reform, REACH, in the European Parliament and shortly before the European elections.
The conference, organised by EEB and ChemicalReaction, will provide a platform for members of civil society organisations, industry and governments to discuss and present their views to the Members of the EP. It aims to increase informed policy debate and to (...)

Effects of mercury contamination of seafood in children’s health

Scientists at the Harvard School of Public Health announced on 3 February that methyl mercury contamination of seafood can cause heart and brain damage in children.
The study, published in the February 2004 issue of the Journal of Pediatrics, found that brain signals controlling heart rates were significantly slower in children whose mothers had the most mercury in their systems during their (...)

MEPs to decide which Committee should manage chemicals

The Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Consumer Policy of the European Parliament was due to hear an initial report drafted by the Committee’s vice-chairman, Guido Sacconi (PES, Italy) on 20 January 2004 on the proposed review of the EU chemicals legislation entitled ’REACH ’, but the hearing has been taken off the agenda by the chairperson of the Committee, Caroline Jackson (EPP-ED, UK)..
Some members of the EPP-ED group have called for the proposed legislation to be dealt (...)

EEN October - December 2003 Newsletter online

Welcome to the Oct-Dec edition of the Epha Environment Network (EEN) Newsletter.
2004 environment and health milestones During the first six months of 2004, two major action plans will be adopted in Europe. The first one, an EU Action Plan on Environment and Health is expected to be launched in early June, and include recommendations on setting up a monitoring system and other precautionary legislative action.
The second one, to be adopted by 52 health and environment ministers from the (...)

US farm workers to be tested for pesticides

Pesticide testing ahead for many state farmworkers. In the first week of December 2003, the US state Department of Labor and Industries is expected to adopt rules requiring blood samples from workers who handle certain pesticides.
The rules are aimed at protecting workers from a class of pesticides called organophosphates and carbamates. Both compounds affect the central nervous system by depressing cholinesterase, an enzyme that helps regulate the nervous system.
By 2005, the regulation (...)

US alert on arsenic in children’s playground equipment

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released preliminary findings on Chromated Copper Arsenate (CCA), a chemical mixture consisting of three pesticidal compounds (arsenic, chromium, and copper) registered for wood preservative uses. This follows public concern about the longterm health impact of treated wood in children’s outdoor play structures. The biggest risk is posed by hand-to-mouth contact with the treated wood. Concerned parents should ensure that children wash their (...)

Nordic concern about retardants and phthalates in humans

Data released in Norway and Denmark on November 2003 reinforce concerns over brominated flame retardants and phthalates respectively.
A study by the Norwegian public health institute (FHI) finds that levels of the former in mothers’ milk have risen 58% over the past decade, while the Danish veterinary and food administration (DVFA) reports that children, especially infants of 6-12 months, still suffer levels of exposure to phthalates up to ten times those of adults, despite a series of (...)

Intergovernmental forum on chemical safety

The fourth session of the Intergovernmental Forum on Chemical Safety (IFCS Forum IV), hosted by the Government of Thailand, was held in Bangkok, 1-7 November, 2003.
The key issues for the Conference were:
children and chemical safety
occupational safety and health
acutely toxic pesticides
hazard data generation
availability and a review of capacity building assistance
Agenda of the (...)

Commissioners and MEPs test their blood for chemicals

Commissioner Margot Wallström and 155 other people (among them MEPs) have had their blood checked for the presence of persistent chemicals on 6 November.
The tests were part of an awareness-raising campaign organised by World Wildlife Fund (WWF).
Chemicals such as PCBs (Poly Chlorinated Biphenyls) and PBDEs (Poly Brominated Diphenyl Ethers) build up in the human body over time, can be transfered to developing babies in the womb and are known to have serious health implications (eg (...)

Commission presents the new REACH proposal

The European Commission has presented on 29 October 2003 a proposal for a new EU regulatory framework for chemicals. The proposed new system is called REACH (Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of CHemicals), and requires that manufacture or import of more than one tonne of a chemical substance per year be registered in a central database.
The proposal has been drafted in consultation with all interested parties, including via an internet consultation.
The proposed Regulation would (...)

Chemical review: more impact assessment from the Commission

The Commission announced on 16 October the results of a new study on the impact of its upcoming REACH proposals for the chemical sector, showing that the overall impact in terms of GDP will be negligible.
The overall costs of the proposal on chemicals, currently in preparation, will be substantially reduced compared to earlier estimates.
The draft proposal which was posted for Internet consultation earlier this year has been thoroughly revised to cut costs and minimize bureaucracy whilst (...)

Last chance to act : sign-up to control dangerous chemicals

The review of EU chemical legislation is at crucial stage. On the 29th October 2003 all 20 European Commissioners will adopt a draft if they can agree on the text. Then it will go to the Parliament and Council of Ministers.
Many NGOs, consumer and civil society groups have joined together to create a common position to prioritise health and environmental concerns. Industry is lobbying hard to weaken the text and we urgently need to generate public pressure for strong legislation!
To (...)

US considers banning flame retardants

PBDE’s fire-retardant properties are believed to have saved thousands of lives, but they are harmful to animals in laboratory tests.
There’s still no proof that they cause problems in humans.
What is clear is that levels in humans are rapidly building up, doubling every two to five years.
That gap between their potential harm and the lack of conclusive proof has created rifts between US state and federal officials and even within the ranks of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), (...)

EU withdrawns approval for herbicide atrazine

EU’s Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health has withdrawn its approval for a potentially harmful and widely-used herbicide atrazine.
This herbicide is produced by Syngenta, a Swiss agrochemicals group.
The 45 year-old herbicide, used to kill weeds around crops, has been implicated by authorities in incidents of ground water contamination, prompting recent bans on its use in several European countries including France.
Exposure to excessive amounts of atrazine can potentially (...)

US NGOs criticise Bush lobbying on EU’s chemicals review

The US government is lobbying the European Union on behalf of the US chemical industry to weaken new EU chemicals policy, says a new report by the Environmental Health Fund.
Read the report, HCWH’s press release, or a letter calling on the Bush Administration to stop this lobbying signed by 70 public interest groups, including Health Care Without Harm.

Liikanen presents consultation results on EU chemicals policy review to council

On 22 September, the Council took note of a presentation by Commissioner Erkki Liikanen on the result of Commission’s Internet consultation on draft legislation aiming at overhauling and modernising the existing EU regulatory system for chemicals and welcomed the Commission’s intention to present its final proposal within short.
In May 2003, the Commission launched an eight-week Internet consultation on the draft legislation on chemicals, which aimed at replacing the over 40 different (...)

Flame retardant chemical found in breast milk

National monitoring of chemicals and health in UK

The new UK Health Protection Agency (HPA) will have a remit to study the long term health effects of low-level chemical and radiation exposure. This reflects a enw political priority and recognises the public concern about the health risks from use of mobile phones, industrial chemicals and pollution from landfill sites and incinerators. The HPA’s first five-year plan , states that exposure to chemicals and poisons isgreater in poor and disadvantaged areas and that children are be at (...)

Commission opens consultation on future legislation on cadmium in fertilisers

The Commission launched last 4th August a stakeholder consultation on future legislation which could introduce EU-wide upper limits for cadmium in fertilisers. Cadmium is a toxic heavy metal with serious risks to human health and the environment.
The consultation will run until 26 September 2003.
Contributions can be sent by email.

Exploring the health and environment link throughout the world

The World Bank has issued an strategy paper on Health and environment.
The paper, published in October 2001 and writen by economist Ksenhya Lvovsky, highlights the inter-relationship between environment, public health and poverty in the industrialised and developing worlds.
It shows that holistic, multi-sectoral approaches are needed to improve health and particular attention must be given to the needs of the poor who suffer the greatest ill health from environmental (...)

EU Chemicals proposal will bring net benefits

A new report published by WWF explores the potential impact of the European Commission’s REACH strategy for regulating chemicals. In particular the report makes an economic analysis of the cost to industry of compliance with the regulation and the associated reduced health impact from stricter control of chemicals.
The research, undertaken by Dr David Pearce and Dr Phoebe Koundouri from the University College London concludes that the proposed REACH regime would produce net overall (...)

German government support EU chemicals review

EurActive. The German "Rat von Sachverständigen für Umweltfragen" (Council of Environmental Experts - an independent body advising the German government) published on 24 July a 36-page evaluation of industry impact assessments of the Commission’s proposed REACH system for the registration, calling them "not plausible" and "of little use" for the debate.
The Commission is expected to present its final legislative proposals in October 2003.
Full (...)

Health Impact of Chemicals Causes Concern

The UK Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution is proposing a radical reform of the way that chemicals are regulated. The report Chemicals in Products: Safeguarding the Environment and Human Health urges a more transparent and precautionary approach to chemical regulation than is currently being proposed by the EU (see related article).
Only a tiny fraction of chemicals on the market today have been assessed for long-term safety. The report proposes that computer programmes already (...)

American NGOs Urge Bush to Follow EU on Chemical Legislation

American NGOs representing near 10,000 US citizens have backed controversial EU proposals to make companies responsible for proving the safety of the chemicals they produce or use.
WWF Article on this issue
European Commission White Paper

Testing citizen exposure to air pollution in Europe’s cities

An EU funded project to test the exposure to air pollution in cities has completed an initial pilot phase in Portugal. ’People’ project involved 500 volunteers wearing special equipment to monitor their personal exposure to the carcinogenic pollutant benzene as they went about their ordinary daily routines. The project is linked to the implementation of Directive 2000/69/EC on air pollution by benzene. The second stage of the project will involve volunteer citizens wearing monitoring (...)

Stakeholder consultation on new EU Environment and Health Strategy

On 11 July 2003 the European Commission is organising a consultation meeting on the newly published Environment and Health strategy (see earlier article).
The goal of the meeting is to discuss the workprogramme for 2003-2004, set out the parameters of the consultation exercise and to identify technical working groups on key issues.
The deadline for registering is 5 July 2003.

EU Environment and Health Strategy Published

The European Commission has just published an Environment and Health Strategy to tackle the key diseases linked with environmental causes.
A joint publication of the Directorates for Health, Environment and Research, the document sets out a long-term vision.
The first phase (2003 - 2010) will focus on four key health concerns: childhood respiratory diseases, neurodevelopment disorders, childhood cancers and endocrine disruptor effects.
Download the Commission Strategy and read the (...)

Participate in NGO Campaigns on Dangerous Chemicals

The first review in 30 years of EU legislation on chemicals is currently at the stage of public consultation, deadline for comments is 10 July 2003. The proposed legislation is designed to control harmful and toxic chemicals which are used in every day comsumer products and which accumulate in the body.
There are currently over 100 000 chemicals approved for the EU market but there is little or no safety data on long-term exposure to many of these chemicals. This means that European (...)

Wallström and Liikanen unveil new Chemicals plan

Commissioners Erkki Liikanen, enterprise, and Margot Wallström, environment, unveiled an ’orientation paper’ on the EU’s new chemicals policy to commissioners last Wednesday 7 May 2003.
At the same time, the proposed ’Reach’ system - to Register, Evaluate and Authorise CHemicals - was posted online for a long-awaited final public consultation to test its workability.
The final proposal, a sweeping overhaul bringing together elements of 60 directives, will be finalised by (...)

Green Week 2003

The 2003 edition of Green Week that will take place 2-5 June.
The main aim of Green Week is to encourage people to "think aloud" about changing people’s environmental behaviour and making the world a more environmentally friendly and healthy place to live in.
Green Week 2003 intends bringing people together to debate, as a follow-up to the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg on key environmental issues of sustainable consumption and production, renewable energy & (...)

Joint EPHA - Greenpeace Press Release: ’Protect the Public from Chemicals in Household Products’

Research shows that dust collected from homes across Europe contains substantial amounts of hazardous chemicals, some of them linked to cancer. The Greenpeace report ’Consuming Chemicals’ reveals that homes are contaminated by "hidden" toxic chemicals contained in everyday household consumer products including textiles, televisions, cosmetics and toys.
At a press conference in Brussels the European Public Health Alliance and the European Consumers Organisation (BEUC) joined (...)

Annual Analysis of Pesticides in Fruit and Vegetables

Pesticide levels in fruit and vegetables across the EU remain constant.
The European Commission annual survey published on 22 April 2003 notes that 59 % of samples have no detectable residue, but 37 % contained traces of pesticides at or below the Maximum Residue Level (MRL) and 3.7 % exceeded the MRL. However, one trend causes concern, 18 % of the samples showed more than one pesticide present. This is an increase from previous years. The products tested were apples, grapes, tomatoes, (...)

Commission Finalises its Chemicals Policy Overhaul

The EU Chemicals policy is undergoing its first review since 1981. This is am important piece of leglislation which examines authorisation of chemicals and products for the European market. Currently there are more than 100 000 chemicals in use in Europe, but there is little data on their impact on health or safety issues. The new policy document is currently in inter-service consultation between the different Commission Directorates and is epxected to be published on the Europa server in (...)

EP Plenary Vote on Pesticides

On 27 March 2003, the European Parliament voted on the Van Brempt report on the Commission’s Communication ’Towards a thematic strategy on the sustainable use of pesticides’.
But at the Plenary, MEPs failed to adopt requests of the Environment Committee, which were also NGO/EPHA demands, for an overall and indicative target for Member States of a 50% reduction of the treatment frequency in 10 years and an EU regulatory framework for taxes and/or levies on pesticides are concerned. MEPs (...)

Council adopts a legislative package aimed at facilitating free movements of goods in the EU.

On 23 June 2008, the European Council adopted a package of legal instruments dealing with the "mutual recognition" principle and with the "new approach" system.
The new package has the role to improve free movement of goods within the internal market by removing barriers to trade and enhancing competitiveness and safety for consumers. EPHA is concerned that this package does not take into account the possible concerns of European citizens following the policy impact of these instruments. (...)

ECJ rules on the protection of workers from exposure to carcinogens

The European Court of Justice has stated that Austria failed to protect workers by not adopting the necessary legislation to fully implement the Council Directive on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to carcinogens at work and extending it to mutagens (1999/38/EC).
The action was brought before the Court by the European Commission. The Austrian government argued that the Directive had been transposed into national law at federal level within the time limit (...)

EU prepares response to biological or chemical terrorist attack

Policymakers around the world are increasing their planning activities to deal with a potential biological or chemical attack.
What to do in a chemical attack
The European Commission has issued practical guidance for the public about the what do to in the event of a chemical attack. The information is meant to help people understand how to prepare themselves and to make it easier for emergency services to act. The EU has said that this is part of their general approach to civil protection (...)

EU list of hazardous non-food products

The European Commission has started to publish a weekly alert notice on product safety issues across the EU.
On 15 January 2004 the revised General Product Safety Directive came into force. The European Commission generally receives two to four safety alerts from Member States every week through the EU-wide ’rapid alert system’, called RAPEX. The type of products most often cited in these alerts are toys followed by other products aimed at children. The concern for most of these products (...)

Parliament adopts final reports on food additives, flavourings and enzymes

8 July the European Parliament adopted legislative package on four draft regulations. The new procedures are supposed to assist the free movement of food within the EU and give better health and consumer protection.
The aim of the 4 draft reports is to simplify and update EU rules for authorising food additives, flavourings and enzymes.
A common authorisation procedure
The first regulation lays down an EU-level common authorisation procedure for additives, enzymes and flavourings and is (...)

**Update** Commissioner delays plans to lift poultry ban

Commissioner Verheugen has blocked the procedure of sending the proposal for lift of the poultry ban to the EU agriculture ministers. This mean a decision will be taken in September at the earliest.
Background
As part of the political debate around chlorine-washed poultry, 21 of 27 European Union Agricultural Ministers on May 19 announced opposition to the European Commission proposal currently being drafted. The proposal is to lift a European Union ban on treating poultry with (...)

Tackling obesity in infancy

There is compelling evidence that breastfeeding reduces the risk of obesity during childhood. While short-term benefits of breastfeeding are well established, possible long-term benefits beyond two years of age have been documented recently.
Obesity has become a frequent nutritional disorder in children. It is an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease in adulthood.
Breastfeeding’s beneficial effects on later cardiovascular risk factors including blood pressure and plasma lipid (...)

Short briefing about food irradiation in Europe

A coalition of European NGOs have launched a campaign against food irradiation in the European Union.
Food irradiation involves exposing food to energy from sources such as gamma rays, X-rays or electron beams.
The aim is to kill harmful bacteria and other microorganisms that may cause food poisoning. Irradiation has other effecs such as delaying ripening and sprouting in foods, thereby helping to extend shelf life.
The Joint FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius Commission have established principles (...)

French NGOs demonstrate against irradiation of food

Irradiation of food is permitted in the European Union according to legislative guidelines.
A number of French NGOs will demonstrate outside irradiation facilities on 5 March 2005 to indicate their strong concerns about potential danger from food irradiation and the lack of proper informaiton for consumers. Action Consommation, Agir Pour l’Environnement, Les Amis de la Terre - France, Association Léo Lagrange pour la Défense des Consommateurs, ATTAC - France, Biocoop Bure-Stop, (...)

Agriculture Council discusses sugar and fruit and vegetables

The 22-23 November 2004 meeting of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council, discussed key reforms to the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).
Sugar Reform
The Council completed its thorough examination of the Commission’s Communication on the sugar sector reform.
Summary of the Council discussions:
the need for a reform: all delegations agreed that the status quo in the Common Market Organisation (CMO) for sugar is not sustainable;
the international aspects of sugar: a large majority (...)

US doctors issue guidelines to safe fish consumption

US health professional organisations "Physicians for Social Responsibility" (PSR) and the Association of Reproductive Health Professional (ARHP) have released on 18 June 2004 guidelines to safe fish consumption written by doctors.
The guides urge women of child-bearing age and children to avoid fish that are highest in mercury and PCBs.
These guidelines follow the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) recently announced guidelines.
According (...)

Concerns raised about chemicals in farmed fish

Scientists are warning that salmon from European fish farms is so contaminated by cancer-causing chemicals that, in the worst cases, it should not be eaten more than three times a year. The research, published in the US magazine Science, was co-authored by David Carpenter, director of the University of Albany’s Institute for Health and the Environment.
American and Canadian researchers took samples from 700 wild and farmed salmon purchased from shops in North and South America and Europe. (...)

Scientific summaries easy-to-understand for public

European Commission DG SANCO has published three summaries on scientific opinions on the safety of tooth whiteners, sunbeds and nanotechnology intended for non-scientists. The publications are available from summer 2007.
European Commission DG SANCO aims with these publications to bring the results of the Scientific Committees closer to the public by providing summaries of the most relevant opinions in a format and language which can be easily understood.
There are three non-food (...)

Third edition of the WHO Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality

French Government committed to alleviate the burden of accidents at work place

Every year, nearly 5,500 people are killed on their workplace across the European Union according to the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work.
4.5 million accidents resulted in more than 3 days absence from work (amounting to around 146 million working days lost per year). These accidents are estimated to cost the EU about 20 billion Euro. The problem affects all sectors of the economy and is particularly acute in enterprises with less than 50 workers.
The French governement has (...)

Working with dangerous substances

The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work organised a conference on the Safe use of dangerous substances in the workplace in Bilbao, Spain on 24 November 2003. Dangerous substances are found in nearly all workplaces and across the EU 28 million workers inhale fumes and vapours for at least a quarter of their working time, while between 6 and 9 million people are exposed to biological agents at work. Skin complaints, lung disorders and cancers are just some of the risks.
Conclusions (...)

The extent of pollution in people!

After having focused for decades on the pollution of air, water and earth, the scientific society have showed interest for other polluted places that had been ignored until today: people.
Last January, American researchers revealed that chemical contaminants have been found in the bodies of new Americans.
This project has been developed in collaboration between the School of Medicine of Mt Sinai (New York) and the NGOs Commonweal (California) and the Environmental Working Group (...)

Appeal to MEPs on non-proprietary names for drugs

Medicines In Europe Forum publish a paper on international nonproprietary names (INNs)
The Medicines in Europe Forum have a published paper in English and French calling for Members of the European Parliament to vote for the international nonproprietary names of all substances to be clearly written on packaging items and information leaflets.
According to the current EU draft legislation this will not be the case with all substances.
To read the paper please click on the attached (...)