EPA and CPSC Collaborating on Nanomaterial Research

On December 11, 2012, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced a research collaboration intended to assess potential impacts of nanomaterials on people’s health and the environment.  According to EPA’s press release, the research is part of a “larger international effort” that includes:

• Identifying, characterizing and quantifying the origins of nanomaterials;
• Studying biological processes affected by nanomaterials that could influence risk;
• Determining how nanomaterials interact with complex systems in the human body and the environment;
• Involving industry to develop sustainable manufacturing processes; and
• Sharing knowledge through innovative online applications that allow for rapid feedback and accelerated research progress.

The press release states that CPSC will use the results of the research to inform:

• Protocol development to assess the potential release of nanomaterials from consumer products;
• Credible rules for consumer product testing to evaluate exposure; and
• Determination of the potential public health impacts of nanomaterial used in consumer products.