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.
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.
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).
RIVM and German BfR enter cooperation agreement on animal protection and food safety The German Federal Institute of Risk Assessment (BfR) and the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, RIVM have signed a cooperation agreement, focused on developing new sci
Need for circular use of materials in construction Construction and demolition waste are being recycled on a large scale to use as a foundation for e.g. roads, but recycled building materials are hardly ever used in the construction of buildings.
Breakthrough on cumulative risk assessment exposure to pesticides in food The European Commission, Member States and EFSA have taken a major step forward in their work on assessing the cumulative risks from exposure to pesticides in food.
RIVM Nutrition and Food Safety expert gets top risk assessment function at EFSA As of November 1, Prof. Hans Verhagen will join the European Food Safety Authorithy (EFSA) in Parma, Italy as Head of the Risk Assessment and Scientific Assistance Department (RASA).
Improving consumer exposure assessment to chemical substances By combining the available international knowledge, the method to assess the extent to which consumers are exposed to chemical substances via everyday products such as paint, cleaning agents and co