Discussion regarding health-based guidance value of PFOA The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has published a provisional health-based guidance value for perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA).
Large increase in legionellosis in the Netherlands The Municipal Public Health Services (GGD) received 561 reports of legionellosis over the past year. Never before has RIVM registered as many reports of this disease as in the past year.
Meningococcal type W most notable infectious disease in 2017 The report ‘State of Infectious Diseases in the Netherlands in 2017’ published by RIVM today, provides an overview of the most important developments in infectious diseases in the Netherlands and a
Climate change, ozone depletion and air quality need to be addressed coherently Ozone layer depletion, air pollution and climate change need to be addressed in connection with each other.
Less meat and more tap water benefits health and the environment In the Netherlands, diets with a high environmental impact contain more meat and energy.
Chance of ESBL contamination via livestock farming is small ESBL is an enzyme, produced by certain bacteria, which makes these bacteria resistant to antibiotics.
EFSA agrees with RIVM that potential effect of BPA on the immune system requires further attention RIVM expressed concerns on the effects of bisphenol a (BPA) on the immune system in a report issued in March 2016.
Bacteria slightly more often resistant to last resort antibiotics Antimicrobial resistance is a global problem. In the Netherlands, some bacteria that can cause infections in people are more frequently resistant to antibiotics used as a last resort.
Less air pollution from traffic and industry but increased contribution from agriculture International air policy has shown good results in Europe: in the past 35 years the air has become cleaner. Nevertheless air pollution is still an important cause of premature death.
RIVM recommends more stringent EU standards BPA More stringent European standards for safe exposure of workers and consumers to bisphenol A (BPA) were proposed in 2014 and 2015.