{"id":115030,"date":"2024-06-04T11:00:53","date_gmt":"2024-06-04T09:00:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/eeb.org\/?p=115030"},"modified":"2024-06-06T15:43:50","modified_gmt":"2024-06-06T13:43:50","slug":"73-eu-candidates-pledge-a-toxic-free-future-ahead-of-eu-elections","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/eeb.org\/it\/73-eu-candidates-pledge-a-toxic-free-future-ahead-of-eu-elections\/","title":{"rendered":"73 EU candidates pledge a toxic-free future ahead of EU-elections"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><b>In a move to prioritise public health and environmental sustainability, 19 leading environmental and health organisations have united to call on EU candidates to commit to a toxic-free Europe. This critical pledge comes just ahead of the upcoming EU elections, with 73 candidates from 23 national parties in 14 countries, including 16 heads of lists, vowing to address the pervasive threat of chemical pollution. The Pledge remains <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/forms\/d\/e\/1FAIpQLSdltIkGcwjIYQ_Bnl4wPuWdwNjCOwufMp9WmEjYpF2LEbjR0w\/viewform?usp=sf_link\"><b>open for endorsement<\/b><\/a><b>.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Today, chemical pollution is still a persistent menace in the EU. Harmful chemicals, including pesticides, are increasingly present in our food, water, air, soil, products, and even our bodies. The consequences are dire, with numerous health effects such as premature death, illness, infertility and cognitive impairments. Vulnerable groups, including children, pregnant women, the elderly and those facing health inequalities are particularly at risk.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/eeb.org\/it\/toxicfreepledge\/#:~:text=As%20we%20look%20towards%20the,chemicals%2C%20products%2C%20and%20practices.\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Toxic-free Pledge<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, developed by a coalition of experts from various health and environmental NGOs, outlines key actions for the next five years to combat the significant impact of harmful chemicals on health and the environment. There is still much <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/eeb.org\/it\/library\/from-risk-to-resilience-navigating-towards-a-toxic-free-future\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">work to be done<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to fully complete the ambition of the EU Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability. With 84% of EU citizens <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/europa.eu\/eurobarometer\/surveys\/detail\/3173\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">believing<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that EU environmental legislation is essential and 92% stating that companies should bear the costs of cleaning up pollution, swift action is crucial. This initiative aims to enhance health protection, drive innovation, and transition to safer, sustainable chemicals, ensuring a competitive EU industry.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If elected, candidates pledge to advocate for:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A swift and protective reform of the EU chemicals law REACH\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A phase-out of \u2018forever chemicals\u2019- per and polyfluorinated alkyl substances &#8211; PFAS\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Innovation towards safer chemicals, materials and products\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Citizens\u2019 access to justice\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Polluters being held accountable\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Transparency and traceability of chemicals\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A stop on export of chemicals banned in the EU<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>No\u00e9mie J\u00e9gou,\u00a0Chemicals Policy Officer,\u00a0European Environmental Bureau, said:<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><em>\u201cIt is time for change. Newly elected MEPs will have a unique opportunity to decisively combat chemical pollution and better protect citizens and future generations. Pollution affects us all, and the path to a toxic-free future begins with the implementation of these seven key priorities.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><strong>Sandra Jen,\u00a0<\/strong><strong>Programme Lead on Health and Chemicals, HEAL, said:<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><em>\u201cThe EU Parliament has a decisive role to play with the EU Commission and Member States to increase the ambition of measures and pace of their implementation, to work towards a<a href=\"https:\/\/www.env-health.org\/ten-pathways-for-better-health-2024-2029\/\" data-cke-saved-href=\"https:\/\/www.env-health.org\/ten-pathways-for-better-health-2024-2029\/\"> healthy planet for healthy people<\/a> in the new policy cycle.\u201d\u00a0<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>As the new 2024-2029 mandate approaches, EU politicians must urgently address widespread pollution, and its negative impacts on health and the economy.\u00a0Prioritising policies that protect health and the environment is crucial and widely demanded by the public.<\/p>\n<p>The toxic-free pledge remains open for <a href=\"https:\/\/forms.gle\/MKhVk7mr1XarMWU78\" data-cke-saved-href=\"https:\/\/forms.gle\/MKhVk7mr1XarMWU78\">endorsement<\/a> to candidates until the elections and to Members of the European Parliament post elections.<\/p>\n<p>Find the pledge here: <a href=\"https:\/\/eeb.org\/it\/toxicfreepledge\/#:~:text=As%20we%20look%20towards%20the,chemicals%2C%20products%2C%20and%20practices.\" data-cke-saved-href=\"https:\/\/eeb.org\/toxicfreepledge\/#:~:text=As%20we%20look%20towards%20the,chemicals%2C%20products%2C%20and%20practices.\">Toxic-free Pledge<\/a><\/p>\n<p>This initiative is part of EEB\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/euelections.eeb.org\/?_gl=1*kfkqsy*_ga*MTkxOTA4ODQ2My4xNjg1OTcwNjQw*_ga_1EW8HFF60C*MTcxNzA2MjU0Ny4zMDYuMS4xNzE3MDYyNjQwLjAuMC4w\" data-cke-saved-href=\"https:\/\/euelections.eeb.org\/?_gl=1*kfkqsy*_ga*MTkxOTA4ODQ2My4xNjg1OTcwNjQw*_ga_1EW8HFF60C*MTcxNzA2MjU0Ny4zMDYuMS4xNzE3MDYyNjQwLjAuMC4w\">European Pact for the Future<\/a>, which outlines twelve key demands to create a better world for future generations.<\/p>\n<p>ENDS<\/p>\n<p>NOTES TO EDITOR<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">List of organisations supporting \u00a0the Toxic-Free Pledge:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>ARNIKA (Czech Republic)<\/li>\n<li>BBL \u2013 Bond Beter Leefmilieu (Belgium)<\/li>\n<li>BUND f\u00fcr Umwelt und Naturschutz Deutschland (Friends of the Earth Germany) (Germany)<\/li>\n<li>CEO \u2013 Corporate Europe Observatory (Belgium &#8211; EU)<\/li>\n<li>Chem Trust (Belgium &#8211; EU)<\/li>\n<li>ClientEarth (Belgium &#8211; EU)<\/li>\n<li>CRIN \u2013 Child Rights International Network (Switzerland)<\/li>\n<li>Ecocity (Greece)<\/li>\n<li>Ecologistas en acci\u00f3n (Spain)<\/li>\n<li>EEB \u2013 European Environmental Bureau (Belgium &#8211; EU)<\/li>\n<li>G\u00e9n\u00e9rations Futures (France)<\/li>\n<li>HCWH \u2013 Health Care Without Harm (Belgium &#8211; EU)<\/li>\n<li>HEAL \u2013 Health and Environment Alliance (Belgium &#8211; EU)<\/li>\n<li>HEJSupport \u2013 Health and Environment Justice Support (Germany)<\/li>\n<li>Hogar Sin T\u00f3xicos (Spain)<\/li>\n<li>ISDE \u2013 International Society of Doctors for Environment (Switzerland)<\/li>\n<li>Tegengif (Netherlands)<\/li>\n<li>WECF \u2013 Women Engage for a Common Future (Netherlands)<\/li>\n<li>ZERO (Portugal)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>For further information, please contact:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Beatriz Ortiz Mart\u00ednez \/\u00a0<\/strong>Senior Communications &amp; Press Officer for Chemicals \/ beatriz.ortiz-martinez@eeb.org<\/p>\n<p><strong>No\u00e9mie J\u00e9gou \/ <\/strong>Chemicals Policy Officer \/ noemie.jegou@eeb.org<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In a move to prioritise public health and environmental sustainability, 19 leading environmental and health organisations have united to call on EU candidates to commit to<span class=\"excerpt-hellip\"> [\u2026]<\/span><\/p>","protected":false},"author":99,"featured_media":115038,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[130,4,144],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-115030","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-chemicals","category-press-release","category-homepage"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/eeb.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/save-our-future.png","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/eeb.org\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/115030","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/eeb.org\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/eeb.org\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eeb.org\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/99"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eeb.org\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=115030"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/eeb.org\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/115030\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eeb.org\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/115038"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/eeb.org\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=115030"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eeb.org\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=115030"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eeb.org\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=115030"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}