The Nanotechnology Industries Association (NIA) announced on October 5, 2018, that the NanoReg2 project, of which NIA is a partner, has published a comprehensive review of European Union (EU) legislation addressing chemical substances and the potential for grouping and read across in nanomaterials. The article, “Insights into possibilities for grouping and read-across for nanomaterials in… Continue Reading
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Berlin Declaration on Nanomaterials Submitted to Environment Council of the Council of the EU
Posted in International, Legal/Regulatory IssuesThe Environment Council of the Council of the European Union (EU) met on October 9, 2018. According to the outcome of the Council meeting, the items debated under any other business included the “Berlin Declaration” on nanomaterials, submitted by the German delegation and supported by the French and Luxembourg delegations. The Berlin Declaration summarizes the… Continue Reading
EU-OSHA Posts Info Sheet on Manufactured Nanomaterials in the Workplace
Posted in International, Legal/Regulatory Issues, Occupational Health and Safety IssuesOn October 3, 2018, the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) published an info sheet on “Manufactured nanomaterials in the workplace.” According to the info sheet, “[t]he requirements for managing nanomaterials in the workplace are the same as those for managing other hazardous chemicals, including the provision of information and training for… Continue Reading
Germany Publishes Study on Health Effects of Ultrafine Particles
Posted in EU Member State, International, Occupational Health and Safety Issues, ResearchThe German Environment Agency (UBA) in October 2018 published a study entitled Health Effects of Ultrafine Particles: Systematic literature search and the potential transferability of the results to the German setting. The study notes that ultrafine particles represent the smallest size fractions of particles with sizes from one to about 100 nanometers in aerodynamic diameter. … Continue Reading
Slides Available from Scientific Workshop on Grouping of Nanomaterials
Posted in International, Legal/Regulatory Issues, OECD, ResearchOn September 12-13, 2018, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), NanoReg2, and GRACIOUS hosted a “Scientific Workshop: Grouping of Nanomaterials.” The Workshop brought together 120 nanotechnology specialists from Europe, North America, and Asia to discuss a bottleneck in nanomaterials development and testing. The agenda and the following slides from the workshop have been… Continue Reading
Nanotechnology Industries Association Will Hold Open Webinar on Regulatory Priorities
Posted in International, Legal/Regulatory Issues, OECDThe Nanotechnology Industries Association (NIA) published an open newsletter on September 19, 2018, that includes an invitation to NIA’s October 11, 2018, open webinar on regulatory priorities. The open webinar will cover the latest news on the nanomaterials definition, amendments to the Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) Annexes, the Organization for Economic… Continue Reading
OECD Publishes Case Study on Grouping and Read-Across for the Genotoxicity of Nano Titanium Dioxide
Posted in International, OECD, ResearchOn September 21, 2018, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) announced four new case studies on integrated approaches for testing and assessment (IATA), including a Case Study on Grouping and Read-Across for Nanomaterials — Genotoxicity of Nano-TiO2. The European Union (EU) Joint Research Center (JRC) developed the case study for the genotoxicity of… Continue Reading
Germany Publishes Comparison of Inhalation and Intratracheal Instillation as Testing Methods for Characterization of Granular Biopersistent Particles
Posted in EU Member State, International, Occupational Health and Safety Issues, ResearchGermany’s Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA) has published a report entitled Comparison of Inhalation and Intratracheal Instillation as Testing Methods for Characterisation of Granular Biopersistent Particles (GBP). In Project F 2364, researchers conducted an in vivo validation study to evaluate the consistency of data with results obtained in the preceding intratracheal instillation… Continue Reading
EC Publishes Success Story on Controlling Light at the Nanoscale Thanks to Graphene
Posted in International, ResearchThe European Commission (EC) has published a success story, “Controlling light at the nanoscale thanks to graphene.” The EC notes graphene, “an atomically thin lattice of carbon, has many exceptional properties.” A European Union (EU)-funded project is focusing on the unique capabilities of graphene plasmons to transport and control light emissions at spatial scales far… Continue Reading
ECHA Article Addresses New REACH Information Requirements for Nanomaterials
Posted in International, Legal/Regulatory IssuesThe September 2018 issue of the ECHA Newsletter includes an article entitled “Are the new REACH information requirements for nanos relevant for you?” written by Jenny Holmqvist, Coordinator for Nanomaterials for the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA). As reported in our April 26, 2018, blog item, the European Commission (EC) Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of… Continue Reading
EUON Study Finds Knowledge Gaps Exist in Risk Assessment of Nano-Sized Pigments
Posted in International, Legal/Regulatory Issues, ResearchThe European Union (EU) Observatory for Nanomaterials (EUON) announced on September 7, 2018, that a new study found gaps in the current knowledge on the hazard and risk assessment of nano-sized pigments. The study, commissioned by EUON, identified 81 nano-sized pigments currently used in the EU market. The study was done to collect publicly available… Continue Reading
IRSST Publishes Assessment of Methods of Sampling and Characterizing Engineered Nanomaterials in the Workplace in English
Posted in International, Occupational Health and Safety IssuesThe Institut de recherche Robert-Sauvé en santé et en sécurité du travail (IRSST) recently published a report, in English, entitled An Assessment of Methods of Sampling and Characterizing Engineered Nanomaterials in the Air and on Surfaces in the Workplace. As reported in our March 29, 2017, blog item, IRSST first published the report in French. … Continue Reading
12th International Nano-Authorities Dialogue Held in Germany in June
Posted in International, Legal/Regulatory IssuesThe 12th International Nano-Authorities Dialogue was held in Germany on June 7-8, 2018. According to the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU), environmental, health, and occupational safety authorities, as well as industry, science, and civil society organizations from Germany, Austria, Luxemburg, Liechtenstein, and Switzerland, discussed current topics in the area… Continue Reading
Austrian Academy of Sciences Publishes English Version of Dossier on Nanotechnological Applications for Food Contact Materials
Posted in EU Member State, International, Legal/Regulatory IssuesIn July 2018, the Institute of Technology Assessment of the Austrian Academy of Sciences published an English version of Dossier No. 49, “Nanotechnological Applications for Food Contact Materials.” The Dossier concludes that nanomaterials can significantly improve the properties of plastic materials, making nanocomposites “increasingly interesting for manufacturers, especially for food packaging.” Nanomaterials used in food… Continue Reading
EC JRC Publishes Report on Mapping Nanomedicine Terminology in Regulatory Landscape
Posted in International, ResearchThe European Commission’s (EC) Joint Research Center has published a Technical Report entitled Mapping Nanomedicine Terminology in the Regulatory Landscape. According to the abstract, to support a better understanding of terms used in the regulatory domain, the Nanomedicines Working Group of the International Pharmaceutical Regulators Forum (IPRF) prioritized the need to map, compile, and discuss… Continue Reading
German Environment Agency Publishes Fact Sheet on Use of Nanomaterials in Plastic Packaging
Posted in EU Member State, InternationalThe German Environment Agency (UBA) has published an August 2018 fact sheet, in German, regarding the use of nanomaterials in plastic packaging. The fact sheet addresses nanomaterials that promise new, technical, or improved packaging properties. According to UBA, the nanomaterials used for labeling and surface coating of packaging are partly the same as those used… Continue Reading
EFSA Panel Concludes New Titanium Dioxide Studies Do Not Merit Reopening Opinion
Posted in International, Legal/Regulatory Issues, ResearchThe July 2018 issue of the EFSA Journal includes an article entitled “Evaluation of four new studies on the potential toxicity of titanium dioxide used as a food additive (E 171).” The European Commission (EC) asked the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) to carry out a scientific evaluation on four studies on the potential toxicity… Continue Reading
Helsinki Chemicals Forum Includes Debate on Nanomaterials
Posted in International, Legal/Regulatory IssuesThe tenth Helsinki Chemicals Forum was held on June 14-15, 2018, in Helsinki, Finland. According to the Conference Report, prepared by Chemical Watch, 168 delegates from 37 countries attended. The final debate at the Forum used nanomaterials as a case study to argue whether product stewardship can replace regulation. Roger Drew, ToxConsult, moderated the debate… Continue Reading
Health-EU Newsletter Includes Editorial on Safety of Nanomaterials in Sunscreens
Posted in International, Legal/Regulatory IssuesThe July 19, 2018, issue of the European Commission’s (EC) Health-EU Newsletter includes an editorial entitled “The only concern to have about sunscreen is … did you remember to put it on?” written by Qasim Chaudhry, Chair of the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) and Ulrike Bernauer, Chair of the SCCS Working Group on… Continue Reading
EUON Publishes Study Identifying Key Parameters for Conducting Reliable Market Studies on Nanomaterials
Posted in International, ResearchOn July 17, 2018, the European Union (EU) Observatory for Nanomaterials (EUON) announced the availability of a study that it commissioned, Critical review of the relevance and reliability of data sources, methods, parameters and determining factors to produce market studies on manufactured nanomaterials on the EU market. The study presents the results of a critical… Continue Reading
OECD Report Presents Findings from Survey Aimed at Investigating Different Types of Risk Assessment
Posted in International, Legal/Regulatory Issues, OECDThe Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) published a July 4, 2018, report entitled Investigating the Different Types of Risk Assessments of Manufactured Nanomaterials: Identifying Tools Available for Risk Management Measures and Uncertainties Driving Nano-Specific Data Needs. The report presents the findings from a survey conducted in 2016 that aimed at investigating the different… Continue Reading
NanoReg2 and Gracious Will Hold Scientific Workshop on Grouping of Nanomaterials in September
Posted in International, Legal/Regulatory Issues, OECD, ResearchThe NanoSafety Cluster announced that its projects NanoReg2 and Gracious, which focus on grouping, have come together with the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Working Party for Manufactured Nanomaterials (WPMN) to host a two-day conference in Paris on September 12-13, 2018. The “Scientific workshop on Grouping of Nanomaterials” will immediately follow the September… Continue Reading
EFSA Publishes New Guidance on Nanotechnologies in Food and Feed
Posted in International, Legal/Regulatory IssuesThe European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) issued a July 4, 2018, press release announcing the availability of new guidance on how to assess the safety of nanoscience and nanotechnology applications. The guidance covers novel foods, food contact materials, food and feed additives, and pesticides, taking into account new developments that have taken place since publication… Continue Reading
EU-Funded Researchers Testing Nano-Based Food Packaging
Posted in International, ResearchThe European Commission (EC) announced on June 15, 2018, that researchers from the European Union (EU)-funded NANOPACK project found a solution for extending food shelf-life by using smart antimicrobial surfaces applied to active food packaging. According to the EC, the researchers are now running five pilot production runs of the new polymer composite, based on… Continue Reading