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).
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
Protection of Defence personnel against health risks of chromium-6 was inadequate From 1984-2006, employees of the Dutch Ministry of Defence were exposed to chromium-6 during maintenance work.
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 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.
Every year, 300,000 tick bites in urban areas One in 5 tick bites occurs in an urban area. Although most tick bites occur in the countryside, many people are bitten in urban areas as well.
RIVM launches new web-based version of ConsExpo An improved version of the computer program ConsExpo is now available via the RIVM website.
Assessment of health effects of alternative tobacco products To assess the effects on the health of users of alternative tobacco products, more knowledge is required about the composition of the product, the smoker’s behaviour (such as the amount of cigarett
First patient infected by tick-borne encephalitis virus For the first time, a person in the Netherlands has fallen ill after a bite from a tick carrying the tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBE virus).