News | RIVM

Current knowledge on microplastics in the soil is still inadequate

A literature review carried out by the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) has concluded that reliable standard techniques should be developed to analyse microplastics in the soil.

Seasonal flu epidemic in the Netherlands

The flu epidemic in the Netherlands has started. The number of people with flu (influenza) increased significantly in the past two weeks.

Flu epidemic seems to be emerging

More and more people in the Netherlands have the flu. The number of people with flu increased significantly last week.

RIVM calls for increased involvement of scientific community in solving plastic crisis

Industry and policymakers are not availing themselves enough of the available scientific knowledge when it comes to smarter ways of dealing with plastics.

Nature Nanotechnology publishes RIVM research on plastics

On Thursday 20 January, Nature Nanotechnology published the article Quantitative tracing of uptake and transport of submicrometre plastics in crop plants using lanthanide chelates as a dual-functional tracer.

Flu jab for additional groups

The flu jab is offered free of charge every year to people aged 60 years and older, and to people who are at higher risk of becoming seriously ill from the flu virus due to medical reasons

Microplastics in paint can cause problems in the environment

Companies and organisations in the paint sector are aware that microplastics can cause problems as these particles end up in the environment where they persist and may be harmful to plants and anim

Last winter’s flu epidemic was short and mild. And then COVID-19 arrived.

The flu epidemic in the winter of 2019/2020 was mild and lasted only 5 weeks.

De griepepidemie in de winter van 2019/2020 was mild en duurde slechts 5 weken.

Mild 2018-2019 influenza epidemic

The annual influenza epidemic in the winter of 2018-2019 was less severe than the year before. Approximately 400,000 people have had the flu.

Graphit rain poses health risk

An assessment of potential health risks shows that graphite rain contains heavy metals and PAHs.