To read all position papers from across our activity areas please visit the resources page.
|16/11/2015||Sprečimo oštećenje mozga i smanjenje inteligencije kod dece|
|20/10/2015||The threat of increased mercury exposure in the Western Balkans HEAL recently published a briefing on the emerging public health threat from increasing mercury exposure in the Western Balkans, as part of an exchange on tackling mercury exposure in these countries. Mercury is particularly harmful to children as it is highly toxic to the developing brain and nervous system. A recent study by one of the leading researchers, Philippe Grandjean has found that preventing exposure to methylmercury (MeHg) could save a potential of more than 600,000 IQ points annually, with a total economic benefit of up to 9 billion EUR per year. Speaking at the launch event on 20 OCtober in Belgrade, Dr. Vesna Knjeginjic, the assistant minister for public health and health care programs of Serbia stated: ''Reducing the levels of mercury in the environment leads to a decreased risk for our health, and particularly protects children who are most vulnerable to its effects. It is important to develop and implement mechanisms to better control pollution, and to ensure the greatest possible reductions of mercury emissions.'' HEAL’s new briefing wants to draw attention to the fact that coal power plants are the number one source of mercury emissions in the EU, and the second largest source globally. With plans to more than double the coal capacity in the Western Balkans from 6.4 to 15 GW, mercury exposure is set to increase. HEAL advocates for the introduction of a moratorium on new coal projects, and a phase out of coal power generation in these countries. Briefing available here in English and Serbian Press release in Serbian|
|14/10/2015||Phase Out Amalgam Use in the European Union|
|16/06/2005||HEAL Position paper: Community strategy concerning mercury|