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wildcardenvironmentalist Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals

Call for Juncker to protect EU citizens health by choosing the right criteria for endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs).

The Alliance joined with over 65 organisations from the EDC-Free Europe Coalition to call on President Juncker and the EU College of Commissioners to make the right decision to protect us from Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs) on the 15th June.

We are expecting President Juncker and his colleagues in the EU Commission to uphold obligations and lead the EU to a healthier and more environmentally sustainable future. The obligation of the EU Commission is to now decide on scientific criteria by which endocrine disrupting properties can be IDENTIFIED. This means any potential text changes beyond pure identification, such as potency or ‘hazard characterisation’ (see letter), would change the balance which the law strikes between protection of human/animal health/environment and the internal market and would be unacceptable and illegal, as per the EU court of justice ruling in December 2015.

The pesticides and biocides laws set out strict controls for EDCs and chemicals that cause cancer, change DNA and harm reproduction. But these laws still allow continued use if needed when there are no safer alternatives, so claims of major agricultural and economic disruption must be treated with caution.

At the same time, the societal impacts of health problems arising from EDCs are typically underestimated. Scientific studies show that these chemicals are very likely contributing to the increases in hormone-related diseases such as breast or testicular cancer, fertility problems, diabetes and obesity as well as learning and behavioural problems in children.

In addition to the suffering of individuals and their families, these life threatening diseases come with a cost to Europe’s health systems and worker productivity, estimated in the billions annually for just a few of Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals assessed. A recent study on the “Health costs that may be associated with Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals” found that when looking at only five potentially EDC-health related effects “according to currently available literature, the socio-economic burden for the EU may be substantial, ranging between 46 – 288 billion EUR per year”.

The letter calls on those making this important decision to instill confidence in European citizens by upholding the treaty and laws and to choose a path which triggers innovation and protects health at the same time. Moving us to an environmentally sustainable, healthy, and economically vigorous future requires taking effective steps: choosing the right EDC identification criteria is one of those, and will substantially contribute to the goal of the EU’s 7th Environmental Action Programme to minimise exposure to EDCs.

Download the letter here

For more information on the campaign see here.

wildcardenvironmentalist Public health

UK groups join with Health Care Without Harm to raise concerns about Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals in Medical Devices.

The Alliance joined with other UK charities and the European organsiation Health Care Without Harm in writing a letter to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Elizabeth Truss MP.

The letter outlines concerns about the discussions on the proposed Medical Devices Regulation in successive meetings of the Council Working Party on Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices. The discussions seek to reach agreement between the position of the Council and the European Parliament (EP) with a view to reaching an agreement by 30th June, still under the auspices of the Dutch Presidency.

Continue reading “UK groups join with Health Care Without Harm to raise concerns about Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals in Medical Devices.” →

wildcardenvironmentalist IWDM

International Workers Memorial Day 2016

Today is International Workers Memorial day – a global day of remembrance for all those who have died at work or because of work due to none existing or non-implemented health and safety laws, inappropriate safety procedures or equipment, employers who treat their employees as expendable with little or no respect for their lives or their health or  just through plain ignorance or neglect about the adverse impacts of processes, chemicals, pesticides or machinery.

Maybe we sometimes forget with all the focus on chemicals legislation that workers are at the front lines of usage. Whether it be in the laboratory developing new and untested ingredients, or through constant exposure on the production line, or through using a product repeatedly day in day out. Maybe by inhaling toxic chemicals, pesticides or harmful substances through the skin, nose and mouth while spraying, washing, cleaning, stirring or even being or living in the same space where toxic chemicals are used. Many handle products which leach endocrine disruptors minute by minute as part of their job or expose the developing foetus unwittingly to toxic insults because of the work they do.

We must remember that much of this work is done for below the basic minimum wage, and in countries where resources are plundered and environments and wildlife destroyed to satisfy an often unnecessary need or sometimes for just plain greed. We all need to work together to bring an end to this injustice and to protect the health of workers, citizens, consumers and save our precious wildlife and planet.

Please remember today and every day – one worker dies every 15 seconds due to occupational injury or illness worldwide.

No one deserves to die at work, no one deserves to be exposure unknowingly or unwittingly to anything which may hurt, maim or kill them or their families. We need to remember the dead and continue to fight like hell for the living.

Hash tag: #IWMD16

Website: Produced by Hazards Magazine and the ITUC – http://28april.org/ Resources, up to date information and graphics available here.

Relevant twitter handles: @hazardsmagazine @hazardseditor @ITUC @etuc_ces – only a selection of the wrodlwide action today.

ITUC Statement: http://www.ituc-csi.org/one-worker-dies-every-15-seconds
http://www.ituc-csi.org/28-april-2016-mobilising-for

Cancer Hazards produced by the ITUC, Hazards magazine and the Alliance for Cancer Prevention: http://www.ituc-csi.org/28-april-2016-mobilising-for