NEWSROOM
Paraquat ban could save lives in Suriname’s suicide crisis
The tiny nation of Suriname has the sixth highest global rate of suicide, with the chemical paraquat repeatedly found in the body of victims. The widely used herbicide is fatal in tiny amounts and readily available in homes and shops across the country.
According to a recent New York Times report, removing access to the highly lethal pesticide could dramatically reduce suicide deaths. Paraquat, which has no known antidote, is banned in the EU, China and several other countries, but remains widely used in Suriname’s agricultural districts.
In Sri Lanka, a national ban on toxic pesticides led to a more than 70% drop in suicide rates. Inspired by this success, a coalition led by the Center for Pesticide Suicide Prevention is working with Surinamese officials to restrict access to paraquat and find safer alternatives.
Mental health resources remain scarce in Suriname, and other suicide prevention efforts have stalled.
Experts argue that reducing access to lethal means is among the most effective, affordable steps governments can take. In a country where one swallow of a household chemical can be deadly, regulation may offer the most immediate path to saving lives.
UK air pollution deaths top 30,000 a year
Air pollution in the UK is linked to more than 30,000 deaths a year and is costing the economy up to £50bn annually, according to a new report from the Royal College of Physicians (RCP).
The report found that 99% of the UK population is exposed to harmful levels of air pollution, with health impacts seen across life stages, from childhood to old age. Even at low concentrations, toxic air is associated with conditions including heart disease, stroke, cancer and dementia. A separate report from Asthma and Lunk UK found that air pollution contributed to flare-ups in one in five people living with lung conditions.
The RCP warned that the health burden remains severe and widespread. It described air pollution as a “public health crisis” and called for stronger measures to reduce emissions and limit public exposure.
Among the recommendations is support for ‘Ella’s Law’, named after nine-year-old Ella Adoo-Kissi-Debrah, who died in 2013 following an asthma attack linked to London’s air pollution. The bill, due to be reintroduced in Parliament next month, would make clean air a legal right in the UK.
Campaigners are also pressing for stricter air quality targets, greater investment in public and active transport, and stronger regulation of vehicle and industrial emissions. The government said it is committed to tackling air pollution and has provided £575m to local authorities to improve air quality.
UN Ocean Conference announces more than 20 marine protected areas
More than 20 new marine protected areas (MPAs) were announced at the third UN Ocean Conference in France, covering coral reefs, shark habitats and nearly a million square kilometres of the Pacific around French Polynesia. The new commitments are part of a global goal to protect 30% of the ocean by 2030.
Countries pledging new MPAs included Chile, Colombia, Tanzania and the Solomon Islands. The conference also saw momentum for the High Seas Treaty, which enables protections beyond national waters. With 19 new ratifications this week, the treaty now has 50 signatories plus the EU. Sixty are needed for it to enter into force.
However, only around 3% of the ocean is currently fully protected from extractive activities like commercial fishing or mining. A recent study estimated that to reach the 30% target, tens of thousands of small MPAs may be required, alongside stronger enforcement.
A separate analysis found global ocean protection efforts need $15.8bn annually, far above current spending. In many designated MPAs, damaging practices like bottom trawling continue. France, the conference host, pledged to limit such practices in 4% of its mainland waters, well below the EU’s 10% strict protection target.
While the announcements mark progress, enforcement and adequate funding remain major challenges. Experts say scaling up local community-led conservation and ensuring meaningful protections are essential to achieving global targets in the years ahead.
Home cervical tests to be rolled out in England
Women who have missed cervical screening appointments will be offered at-home testing kits from January, as part of a nationwide NHS England initiative to improve early detection rates. The self-sample kits, which detect human papillomavirus (HPV), the primary cause of cervical cancer, will be posted to eligible women in discreet packaging, with return postage pre-paid.
More than five million women in England are currently overdue for screening. Just 68.8% of those eligible are up to date with checks, well below the NHS target of 80%. Barriers such as discomfort, embarrassment, disability, and cultural sensitivities have contributed to low uptake, particularly among younger women, ethnic minorities, and LGBT+ communities.
The new scheme, part of the government’s forthcoming 10 Year Health Plan, aims to remove these obstacles by allowing tests to be taken in the privacy of one’s home. A recent trial showed that home testing could boost screening rates to 77% over three years.
Cervical cancer claims the lives of around 850 women in the UK each year. Early detection through regular screening is estimated to save 5,000 lives annually in England alone.
NHS England is also changing screening intervals. From this summer, women aged 25 to 49 who test negative for HPV will now be invited for screening every five years instead of three, based on research indicating a lower cancer risk following a negative result.
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