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 20 years ago, the most serious accident in nuclear history changed the
lives of many. Massive amounts of radioactive materials were released. The
most contaminated zone was in parts of Belarus,
Russia, and Ukraine. How has this region been affected and how has it
coped?
More on the
Chernobyl accident...
 Some
electrical equipment, such as trains, television
sets, and especially NMR medical scanners, can generate very high static magnetic or electric fields. What is known so
far about their potential health effects?
More on static fields...
 Alcohol
is linked with connotations of pleasure and sociability in the minds of
many, but it has harmful consequences. What are the impacts of
its consumption on human health and society?
More on alcohol...
 Phthalates
are additives widely used in plastics
and other materials, notably to make them
soft and flexible. Three of them (DIDP
and DINP, and
DBP)
have applications in consumer
products, industry, and medicine. What effects
may they have on environment and health?
More on phthalates... |
Source:
ECB (2003-2004)
Summaries:
GreenFacts (2005)
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 We
are regularly confronted with genetically
modified foods, be it in the news or on
our plates. In what way are GM crops different
from conventional crops? What is known about
the possible risks for human health or the
environment?
More on Genetically modified crops... |
Source:
FAO (2004)
Summaries:
by GreenFacts (2005)
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Asthma and allergies are increasing in
many European countries. Can genetic and
environmental factors affect a child's
likelihood to develop such diseases?
More on respiratory diseases...
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Source:
EC (2003)
Summaries:
by B. Nemery and T. Nawrot (2005)
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 Food
and drinking water typically contain at least small amounts of fluorides.
Fluorides are commonly added to dental products – and sometimes
to tap water – to prevent cavities. Under what conditions
can fluoride exposure be beneficial or detrimental to human health?
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Source:
IPCS (2002)
Summaries:
by John Fawell (2005)
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Read this fluoride Digest |
 While
ambient air quality in Europe improved in several respects during the last
decades of the 20th century, current levels of air pollution, notably by
Ozone,
Nitrogen Dioxide and
Particulate Matter, still affect public health. Can these pollutants
cause respiratory diseases and reduce life expectancy?
Read this air pollution Digest
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Humans depend heavily on ecosystem for benefits such as food, but
we also have a tremendous impact on them. How can ecosystem degradation
affect human well-being today and in the future? What actions are
needed to limit harmful consequences?
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Source:
Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (2005)
Summaries:
by GreenFacts (2005)
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Read this ecosystem change Digest |
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Over one thousand million people worldwide smoke tobacco. The percentage
of smokers is still increasing in developing countries and among
women. Harmful effects of tobacco on smokers are ever more known.
Are passive smokers also at risk?
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Source:
IARC (2002)
Summaries:
by Dr. Leigh Henderson for GreenFacts (2004)
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Read
this Digest on tobacco and involuntary smoking |
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Arsenic is a poisonous substance, which is released both by certain
human activities and naturally from the earth's crust. Humans may
be exposed to arsenic mainly through food and water. Can arsenic
affect human health or the environment?
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Source:
WHO-IPCS (2001)
Summaries:
by Dr. Sue Barlow for GreenFacts (2004)
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More on Arsenic... |
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 Mercury
is a heavy metal of which some forms are known to be highly toxic.
Though mercury occurs naturally in the environment it is now mainly
released by human activities. Are these releases being controlled?
Are humans and the environment at risk?
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Source:
UNEP (2002)
Summaries:
by John Pickup for GreenFacts (2004)
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More on mercury... |
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 Overhead
power lines, wiring in buildings and electrical appliances generate
"Extremely Low Frequency" (ELF) electromagnetic fields.
Can such ELF fields cause cancer, leukaemia or other health effects?
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Source:
IARC (2002)
Summaries:
by Prof. Luc Verschaeve for GreenFacts (2004)
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More on power lines... |
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 To
protect drinking water against germs, disinfectants such as chlorine,
ozone, chloramines, and chlorine dioxide are used. In the water
these disinfectants can form certain unwanted by-products, which
raise health concerns...
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Source:
IPCS (2000)
Summaries:
by John Fawell for GreenFacts (2004)
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Read this water disinfectant Digest |
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 Dioxins
are mainly released by human activities such as incineration and
fuel combustion. Some are known to be very toxic. While dioxin levels
are dropping in industrialized countries, some people have been
accidentally exposed to high doses…
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Source:
WHO-IPCS (1998)
Summaries:
by Dr. Ludo Holsbeek for GreenFacts (2004)
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Read this dioxin Digest |
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 Aspartame
(sometimes misspelled "aspertame") is a non caloric sweetener used in some diet soft drinks and food
preparations. Many studies have assessed its safety, but some allegations
of health risks have launched a debate: does aspartame pose health
risks?
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Source:
EC (2002)
Summaries:
by Prof. Pedro Buc Calderón for GreenFacts (2004)
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Read this aspartame Digest |
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 Some
chemicals, both natural and man-made, can interfere with the hormonal
system. Have such ‘endocrine disruptors’ affected wild
life and our hormonal system? Can they have adverse effects at low
levels? How much is known so far?
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Source:
IPCS (2002)
Summaries:
by Dr. Sue Barlow for GreenFacts (2004)
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Read this endocrine disruptor Digest |
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 There
is new and stronger evidence that most of the Earth's warming observed
the last 50 years is due to human activities. In what way could
Climate Change affect us in the future? How serious could the consequences
be?
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Main
Source:
IPCC (2001)
Summaries:
by GreenFacts (2002)
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Read this climate change Digest |
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