Health

WEN takes a holistic view of health. A wealth of research suggests that our environment is contaminated with a cocktail of risky chemicals. Little attention is given to occupational health risks and the hazards women face in the workplace, home and wider environment. WEN thinks such research warrants implementation  of the precautionary principle. Past successes include: 

• Ending the Cosmetics Cover-up

WEN’s research has highlighted the presence of risky chemicals in many modern cosmetics and toiletries and campaigned for safer alternatives. We were one of the first organisations to raise concerns about dioxin and pesticide contamination of foods, including cow’s milk (dioxins) and chocolate (lindane pesticides). We produced a shocking report, Pretty Nasty,which exposed phthalates in European cosmetic products. Getting Lippy: cosmetics, toiletries and the environmentcovers general issues around cosmetics use and concerns about some common ingredients. Accompanying factsheets give more information about specific types of products such as skincare and colour cosmetics. We’ve also produced factsheets on what you can do as a consumer, making your own beauty products (grannys_recipes ),  a guide to healthy flooring and a household cleaning factsheet. 

• Breast cancer

WEN’s campaigning project, Putting Breast Cancer on the Map, empowered women to map their experience of cancer and potential environmental links. 

WEN initiated the campaign for action on environmental links to breast cancer with a 60,000 signature petition to the Department of Health in 1995.  Stopping Breast Cancer Before it Starts  called for a national strategy and framework for the primary prevention of breast cancer, emphasising the need for precautionary action to reduce human exposure to environmental factors links to the disease. 

WEN helped produce the shock report ”Breast cancer: an environmental disease’  as part of the Uk Working Group on the Primary Prevention of Breast Cancer. This report launched Breast Cancer UK’s  No More Breast Cancer Campaign in 2005 and sought to establish a novel view of breast cancer as a preventable rather than inevitable disease, address the under-acknowledged and non-lifestyle factors associated with breast cancer and provide a right-to-know document, presenting essential information to the general public. 

The No More Breast Cancer Campaign  is now the place to go to for campaigns on this issue. Part of Breast Cancer UK, they are currently campaigning against the use of  BPA (also known as Bisphenol A) in baby bottles.  

WEN, along with other groups, pushed for comprehensive new regulation of the production and use of chemicals. In December 2006, after years of debate, the European Union passed the legislation known as REACH (Registration, Evaluation and Authorization of Chemicals), which according to WWF, sets Europe on a modest step towards a new approach to chemicals.

The law allows for chemicals that persist and accumulate to be replaced by safer alternatives whenever available. It also allows the public to request information about the presence of a limited number of hazardous chemicals in consumer products. However, according to WWF, major loopholes in REACH will still allow many chemicals that can cause serious health problems, including cancer, birth defects and reproductive illnesses, to continue being used in manufacturing and consumer goods.  Contact WWF for more information. 

• Breastfeeding

WEN is part of the Breastfeeding Manifesto Coalition which works to improve awareness of the health benefits of breastfeeding and its role in reducing health inequalities. 

• Sanitary protection

Since 1989 WEN has campaigned for greater awareness of the environmental and health issues around sanitary protection and the options available. Our briefing, Seeing Red, outlines the health concerns and outlines the alternatives, such as reusable pads and menstrual cups. 

WEN successfully lobbied the soft tissue paper industry and government to remove harmful dioxins from the paper bleaching process in our sanitary protection products like disposable nappies and sanitary protection. We also persuaded  tampon manufacturers to improve on-pack warnings about toxic shock syndrome, a rare but sometimes fatal disease that can be triggered by tampon use. 

• GM

WEN co-organised the first Big Gene gathering and the ‘No Patents on Life’ campaign which helped spark the anti-GM movement.