In August 2018, Safe Work Australia (SWA) issued a national guide on classifying hazardous chemicals. SWA intends the guidance for manufacturers and importers of substances, mixtures, and articles who have a duty under the Work Health and Safety (WHS) Act and Regulations to classify them. SWA suggests that the guidance may also be useful for… Continue Reading
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OIRA Seeks Comment on How to Reduce Regulatory Differences between the U.S. and Canada, Including for Emerging Technologies Not Yet Regulated
Posted in Federal, Legal/Regulatory Issues, United StatesThe Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) published a request for information (RFI) on October 9, 2018, seeking comment on how the federal government, under the auspices of the Regulatory Cooperation Council (RCC), may reduce or eliminate unnecessary regulatory differences between the U.S. and Canada. According to the RFI, this information may inform agencies’… Continue Reading
EPA Posts Final Work Plan for Nanosilver Registration Review Process
Posted in Federal, Legal/Regulatory Issues, Research, United StatesOn October 19, 2018, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) posted the Final Work Plan (FWP) for the nanosilver registration review process under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). The FWP explains what the Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP) “knows about nanosilver generally, highlighting anticipated data and assessment needs for each unique nanosilver… Continue Reading
NanoReg2 Publishes Grouping and Read Across Article in Nanotechnology
Posted in International, Legal/Regulatory IssuesThe 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
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
EPA Publishes SNUR for Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes
Posted in Federal, Legal/Regulatory Issues, Occupational Health and Safety Issues, Research, United StatesThe U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published on October 10, 2018, a direct final rule promulgating significant new use rules (SNUR) for 28 chemical substances, including single-walled carbon nanotubes, that were the subject of premanufacture notices (PMN). The chemical substances are subject to orders issued by EPA pursuant to Section 5(e) of the Toxic Substances… 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
EPA Will Publish SNUR for Carbon Nanomaterial (Generic)
Posted in Federal, Legal/Regulatory Issues, Occupational Health and Safety Issues, United StatesThe U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is scheduled to publish on October 3, 2018, a direct final rule promulgating significant new use rules (SNUR) for 26 chemical substances, including carbon nanomaterial (generic), that were the subject of premanufacture notices (PMN). The chemical substances are subject to orders issued by EPA pursuant to Sections 5(e) and… 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
NIOSH Publishes Revised Draft CIB on Health Effects of Occupational Exposure to Silver Nanomaterials, Will Hold Online Meeting
Posted in Federal, Legal/Regulatory Issues, Occupational Health and Safety Issues, United StatesOn September 18, 2018, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) published a Federal Register notice announcing the availability of a draft document entitled Current Intelligence Bulletin: Health Effects of Occupational Exposure to Silver Nanomaterials. As reported in our January 22, 2016, blog item, NIOSH published a draft Current Intelligence Bulletin (CIB) on… 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
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
NNCO Will Focus on Public Outreach and Promoting Commercialization of Nanotechnology
Posted in Federal, Legal/Regulatory Issues, United StatesAccording to the Summer 2018 edition of the National Nanotechnology Coordination Office’s (NNCO) quarterly newsletter, in 2018, NNCO will focus on two of its primary responsibilities — providing public outreach and promoting commercialization of nanotechnology. NNCO states that its activities “will build upon and expand efforts to tell the stories” from the National Nanotechnology Initiative… 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
NNCO Announces Reappointment of Director and Appointment of New Deputy Director
Posted in Federal, Legal/Regulatory Issues, United StatesOn July 30, 2018, the National Nanotechnology Coordination Office (NNCO) announced the reappointment of Dr. Lisa Friedersdorf as its Director and the appointment of Dr. Stacey Standridge as its Deputy Director. NNCO is a federal interagency coordinating office that serves as a central point of contact for the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) and supports the… Continue Reading
ACGIH® Will Not Proceed with TLV® for Carbon Nanotubes in 2019
Posted in Legal/Regulatory Issues, Occupational Health and Safety Issues, United StatesAs reported in our January 31, 2018, blog item, the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH®) Threshold Limit Values for Chemical Substances (TLV®-CS) Committee included carbon nanotubes on its 2018 list of chemical substances and other issues under study. Being placed on the under study list indicated that the TLV®-CS Committee had selected carbon… 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
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