A debate organised by the Health and Environment Alliance about cancer and the environment in the European Parliament proved very timely, given the announcement of 25th November that the European Commission will ban the use of organic compound bisphenol A (BPA) in plastic baby bottles from 2011.
The Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) screened excerpts of the film, “Living Downstream”, followed by policy discussions on European ‘environmental prevention’ policies on 29 November 2010.
Sandra Steingraber, who is a cancer survivor and environmental scientist from the US, presented her work which aims to break the silence about cancer and its environmental links. It was the first time that excerpts from the new documentary film ‘Living Downstream’, based on her book, were being shown in Europe.
The presentation was followed by a discussion with guests on how the EU can better address the latest science with policies for the ‘environmental prevention’ of cancer, including potential actions for MEPs. Amongst the issues discussed were equality of protection of those most biologically or socially vulnerable; the environmental factors involved in cancer causation which can be changed by political governance. A specific focus was the role that pesticides play in cancer causation and which policy measures are needed in order to minimise exposure.
The event took place in collaboration with the European Cancer Patient Coalition and Forum against Cancer Europe.
On this ocassion, HEAL prepared an information sheet on “Questions on cancer and the environment“, as well as a special information sheet on “Cancer in the European Union: predicted growth in incidence in 2020“.
For more information please go to the HEAL website.
To read HEAL’s press release on that ocassion please go here.
To read an article from the Parliament Magazine on EU urged to protect citizens from cancer causing pollutants, please go here.
To see and learn on what campaigns are currently being undertaken on cancer, pesticides and environment at the EU level, please check SICK OF PESTICIDES campaign website.
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