EPA Announces Availability of Nanomaterial Case Study for Nanoscale Silver in Disinfectant Spray

On August 13, 2010, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the availability of a draft document entitled Nanomaterial Case Study: Nanoscale Silver in Disinfectant Spray, which EPA intends to serve as part of a process to help identify and prioritize scientific and technical information that could be used in conducting comprehensive environmental assessments of selected nanomaterials. EPA states that the Case Study does not attempt to draw conclusions regarding potential environmental risks of nanoscale silver, but instead aims to identify what is known and unknown about nanoscale silver to support EPA’s future assessment efforts. EPA states that it is releasing the draft Case Study “solely for the purpose of pre-dissemination review under applicable information quality guidelines.” The draft Case Study “has not been formally disseminated by EPA,” and it “does not represent and should not be construed to represent any Agency policy or determination.” When preparing the final Case Study, EPA intends to consider any public comments received by September 27, 2010.