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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency published a proposed rule on April 1, 2020, that would amend the significant new use rules (SNUR) for certain chemical substances that were the subject of a premanufacture notice (PMN) and a significant new use notice (SNUN), including functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) (generic).  85 Fed. Reg. 18173.  This action…

On March 23, 2020, the European Commission’s (EC) Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) announced that the fact sheet on the SCCS Guidance on the safety assessment of nanomaterials in cosmetics is now available in French, German, Italian, and Spanish.  The guidance provides recommendations for the safety assessment of nanomaterials intended for use in…

The European Commission’s Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) announced on March 3, 2020, that the April 2020 issue of Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology includes “The SCCS guidance on the safety assessment of nanomaterials in cosmetics.”  The highlights state that:

  • The guidance provides an overview of the key issues and data requirements relating

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On March 3, 2020, the European Union (EU) Observatory for Nanomaterials (EUON) published a Nanopinion entitled “‘Nanoplastics’ — it’s a name game.”  Claire Skentelbery, Director General, Nanotechnology Industries Association (NIA), reviews the difference between engineered (manufactured) nanomaterials and naturally originating (incidental) nanomaterials.  Skentelbery notes that use of the term “nanoplastics,” without describing their…

On March 4, 2020, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) published a Federal Register notice announcing the availability of its Current Intelligence Bulletin 69:  NIOSH Practices in Occupational Risk Assessment.  85 Fed. Reg. 12786.  The Current Intelligence Bulletin (CIB) describes the process and logic NIOSH uses to conduct risk assessments, including…

As reported in our February 13, 2020 blog item, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on February 12, 2020, that it is seeking public input on a proposal to incorporate a new nanosilver pesticide product into textiles to combat odors, discoloration, and other signs of wear.  The proposed registration decision is for NSPW…

The Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA) issues Technical Rules for Hazardous Substances (TRGS), which reflect the state of technology, occupational safety and health, and occupational hygiene, as well as other verified scientific knowledge relating to activities involving hazardous substances, including their classification and labeling.  BAuA has published an English translation of TRGS…

The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) issued a press release on February 24, 2020, stating that it has received a low number of registration dossiers for nanomaterials.  ECHA states that it has received only 95 unique submissions for 36 substances covering nanoforms according to the updated Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) regulation requirements. …

On February 19, 2020, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) posted a Science Blog item entitled “Are There Nano- and Microplastics in the Workplace?” that reviews workplace exposure to microplastics (defined by NIOSH as “plastic particles smaller than 5 mm”) and nanoplastics (the nanoscale fraction of plastic particles).  NIOSH states…

On January 28, 2020, the European Union (EU) published The NanoDefine Methods Manual, a collection of three Joint Research Center (JRC) reports developed within the NanoDefine project “Development of an integrated approach based on validated and standardized methods to support the implementation of the EC recommendation for a definition of nanomaterial.”  According to the…