Solar panel recycling could be more sustainable RIVM looked into ways being developed to reuse raw materials used in solar panels. The four ways described by RIVM in this report are more sustainable than how solar panels are currently recycled.
High impact of climate change on health, more knowledge needed on relations between effects The effects of climate change are becoming increasingly visible. RIVM analysed the health effects of climate change for the period 1991–2020. RIVM also investigated the impact of these effects and their likelihood.
Remove ticks quickly, reduce your risk of Lyme disease Ticks are active again, as shown by the increase in tick bite reports on Tekenradar.nl. Quick action is important: the faster you remove a tick after it bites you, the lower your risk of contracting Lyme disease.
Continuing significant increase in young adults with gonorrhoea The number of people in the Netherlands with gonorrhoea is continuing to increase significantly. Diagnosed cases of this sexually transmitted infection increased by 31% in 2023, compared to 2022. These cases involved people who were tested at a sexual health centre operated by the Municipal Public Health Services (GGDs).
Dutch consumers can eat healthier and more environmentally sustainable for the same amount of money The Dutch diet can be healthier and more environmentally sustainable without costing consumers more money. This holds for all socio-economic groups in the Netherlands. This concludes Reina Vellinga (RIVM) in her doctoral thesis. Even with minor adjustments, our diet becomes much healthier and with less impact on the environment.
Dutch population’s salt and sugar intakes go down, fibre intake goes up On average, the sugar and salt intakes of the Dutch population have gone down, while its fibre intake has gone up. This is apparent from the latest Dutch National Food Consumption Survey (Voedselconsumptiepeiling, VCP) figures.
New version of NEVO with updated data on meat and dairy substitutes Today, RIVM will publish the new version of the Dutch Food Composition Database (Nederlands Voedingsstoffenbestand, NEVO). This contains information on the composition of more than 2,300 foods.
Predicting who will experience symptoms after Lyme disease remains challenging Each year, approximately 27,000 people are diagnosed with Lyme disease. For most, the symptoms disappear after treatment with antibiotics. Unfortunately, 25% of those treated have chronic symptoms, such as fatigue, concentration disorders or pain.
Increase in STI consultations in 2023, rise in gonorrhoea cases persists The number of consultations for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) at Sexual Health Centres (SHCs) was higher in the first half of 2023 compared to the previous year. Notably, the number of gonorrhoea cases continues to rise.
New Zoonoses Report out now: avian flu most notable outbreak in 2022 Throughout 2022, the Netherlands faced a persistent avian flu outbreak, affecting 76 poultry farms. The virus also infected numerous wild birds and various wild mammals. These findings are presented in the Zoonoses Report, an annual publication issued jointly by RIVM and the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA).