Meningococcal disease serious, but still rare Meningococcal disease is a disease caused by a bacterium, the meningococcus. There are several types of this bacterium. In most cases, it does not make you ill.
Rubber granulate on synthetic turf fields causes environmental impact Use of rubber granulate sourced from car tyres, on synthetic turf fields can be harmful to the environment in the close vicinity of these fields.
RIVM measures much higher levels of tar, nicotine and carbon monoxide in cigarettes Tar, nicotine and carbon monoxide (TNCO) levels measured in accordance with the Canadian Intense (CI) method are at least twice as high as the levels measured in accordance with the prescribed ISO
Addictive nicotine and harmful substances also present in heated tobacco Heated tobacco products are newly available on the market. An example of such a product is the heatstick which is heated with an iQOS, a device that looks like an e-cigarette.
RIVM withdraws from tobacco committees The Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment will leave the NEN/CEN/ISO committees for tobacco and e-cigarettes with immediate effect.
New test has no added value in Lyme disease of the central nervous system Active Lyme disease of the central nervous system cannot be detected with an ELISpot test.
New standard for exposure assessment of cleaning products RIVM has updated the standard for exposure assessment of cleaning products in the ConsExpo Cleaning Products Fact Sheet.
European critical loads: database, biodiversity and ecosystems at risk Approximately 79 percent of the nature reserves (Natura 2000 areas) in EU countries are estimated to be exposed to an excess of nitrogen deposition in 2020.
Lyme disease costs EUR 20 million annually The societal costs of Lyme disease have been determined for the Netherlands for the first time. The disease appears to cost nearly EUR 20 million each year.
Scientific background information on rubber granulate now available in English In December 2016, RIVM published in Dutch the results of its research into the health risks of playing sports on synthetic turf pitches with rubber granulate.