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October 16, 2013

Sweden Proposes National Action Plan for Nanomaterials

Lynn L. Bergeson

On October 8, 2013, Sweden issued a report proposing a national action plan for the safe use and management of nanomaterials. The report’s recommendations, as described in the English summary, include specific actions within several categories. Of particular interest are the following categories and specific recommendations:

  • Measures for the development of the European Union’s (EU) regulatory framework:
    • The government and relevant agencies shall work to bring about a revision of the Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH):
      • Nanomaterials are to be registered as a separate substance;
      • The tonnage limits are reduced for nanomaterials;
      • The information to be submitted when registering nanomaterials includes supplementary data on their physic-chemical properties and, when necessary, other relevant information;
      • The obligation to register products containing nanomaterials is extended; and
      • The rules regarding information to downstream users are to be revised so that they also include relevant details on nanomaterials.
    • The government and relevant agencies shall work to bring about a revision of the European legislation on chemical substances and products:
      • The regulatory frameworks ensure that the data submitted and the assessments made are relevant to the substance in the form it occurs.
    • Manufacturers, importers, and distributors of products containing nanomaterials should be able to declare the preceding and subsequent links in the distribution chain.
    • The proposed amendments to the regulation on novel foods, aimed at clarifying the regulations on nanomaterials, are to be adopted as soon as possible.
  • Measures to increase knowledge about nanomaterials on the market:
    • The Swedish Chemicals Agency to be given the task of investigating how an obligation to submit information on the occurrence of nanomaterials when registering products in the product register might be worded.
    • An inventory of products on the market that contain nanomaterials to be performed.