Vaccine manufacturer employee contracts poliovirus An employee of vaccine manufacturer Bilthoven Biologicals (BBio) has been infected with a poliovirus. The virus was found in a stool sample provided by the employee. The employee concerned is now in isolation.
Air quality Sint Maarten landfill At the beginning of 2019, RIVM measured the air quality around the landfill at Philipsburg, Sint Maarten for two weeks. No or hardly any harmful substances were measured.
Slightly fewer adult smokers In 2018, 22.4 per cent of the Dutch adult population indicated they were occasional smokers.
Young people who use screens before sleeping have more sleep problems Young people (13-18 years) who use light-emitting screens daily in the hour before going to sleep have more sleep problems.
RIVM will make measurements around the Sint Maarten landfill From 21 January 2019, a team from RIVM will travel to Sint Maarten to make measurements and take samples at various locations around the landfill in Philipsburg.
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).
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.
Promising biobased alternatives to controversial polar aprotic solvents There are a number of promising biobased alternatives to controversial polar aprotic solvents, as revealed in a report from Wageningen Food & Biobased Research commissioned by RIVM .
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.
RIVM launches new web-based version of ConsExpo An improved version of the computer program ConsExpo is now available via the RIVM website.