RIVM Newsletter

RIVM published a report regarding the environmental impact of rubber granulate. On behalf of the Dutch government RIVM also submitted a proposal to the European Chemicals Agency, ECHA to introduce stricter limit values for eight carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The French Agency for Food, Environment and Occupational Health and Safety, ANSES published a review of more than 50 international studies on the subject, including research published by the ECHA and RIVM. Read more

The Dutch Ministry for Health, Welfare and Sports has warned about potential health problems for teenagers who drink energy drinks excessively. RIVM research found that 1% or 2% of the 1.2 million Dutch teenagers regularly drink three or more cans of energy drinks a day, risking health issues such as heart palpitations and dizziness. These physical symptoms are caused by the significant quantities of caffeine, taurine and D-glucuronolactone in the drinks. Read more

RIVM’s Collaborating Centre for Risk Assessment of Pathogens in Food and Water was invited to WHO’s side event during the 41st Codex Alimentarius Commission on 4 July 2018. The side event highlighted the importance of national capacity-building efforts for estimating the burden of foodborne diseases. Countries can request support from WHO in calculating these estimates. RIVM’s WHO CC will support WHO in providing capacity-building workshops. Read more

As of September 2018, Hans Brug has become the Director-General of RIVM. Before taking on his present office, he held positions as a professor at Maastricht University, Erasmus University Medical Center in Rotterdam, and two institutions in Amsterdam: VU University Medical Center and University (VUmc) and the University of Amsterdam (UvA). Read more

In 2017, emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) amounted to 163 billion kilograms (kg) in the Netherlands. This level is just as high as more than a quarter of a century ago, while the sectors causing these emissions have grown in scale. Emissions per square metre were highest in the municipalities of Velsen, Geertruidenberg and Rotterdam. This finding was reported by Statistics Netherlands (CBS) in collaboration with RIVM and the Netherlands Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (PTRT) on the basis of provisional figures. Read more

The Dutch campaign for teen vaccination against meningococcal disease was launched in mid-September. With the slogan “Do not share this with your friends. Get that jab against meningococcal disease”, RIVM and youth health organisations are inviting young people to get themselves vaccinated. This year, about 130,000 young people in the Netherlands will receive an invitation to be vaccinated. Since 2015, there has been an increase in cases of meningococcal type W infection, a type of bacteria that can cause meningitis or septicaemia. A discussion followed regarding shortage of vaccines. Read more.

Perfluoro (PFAS) is a group of substances that contains PFOS, PFOA and GenX. Perfluoro substances often occur as pollution in groundwater and drinking water. Recently, cases of perfluoro pollution have raised concerns about possible health effects. In 2016, RIVM determined a Health-Based Guidance Value for PFOA. RIVM has now developed a method to identify the risk of a PFAS mixture based on this limit value. Referred to as the Relative Potency Factor approach (RPF), the method has been incorporated into an operational framework for managing PFAS in soil, groundwater and drinking water. See also

In September, RIVM published the Breast Cancer Population Screening Monitor 2016. There were no major changes in 2016 compared to 2015. 1,388 million women were invited to take part in the breast cancer screening programme, and more than 1 million women did so. Read more

Dutch newspaper Trouw reported that the Dutch get more exercise than anyone else in Europe. According to the Euro Barometer on Sports and Physical Activity, released by the European Commission, about 80% of Dutch people cycle, walk, work in the garden or swim once a week, compared with the European average of 44%. The Dutch also score well when it comes to playing sports: 56% of the Dutch play sports weekly, compared to the European average of 40%. Read more