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The French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety (ANSES) published on March 10, 2015, an Opinion concerning exposure to silver nanoparticles that “stresses the research that has been carried out to examine the potential health and environmental effects of silver nanoparticles but notes that this is still insufficient to allow the health…

The Danish Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published on March 6, 2015, the following reports concerning nanomaterials:

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Environment Canada and Health Canada have released a February 2015 consultation document entitled Proposed Approach to Address Nanoscale Forms of Substances on the Domestic Substances List.  Environment Canada and Health Canada propose a stepwise approach to address nanoscale forms of substances on the Domestic Substances List (DSL):

  1. Establishment of a list of existing nanomaterials

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 On February 16, 2015, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) published the 2014 annual report of the EFSA Scientific Network of Risk Assessment of Nanotechnologies in Food and Feed, which is intended to inform the public and the EFSA Advisory Forum about the Network’s specific activities and achievements.  EFSA states that, during 2014, the Network…

On January 28, 2015, Environment Canada announced that, with Health Canada, it has initiated a review of significant new activity (SNAc) orders and notices currently in place under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA).  According to Environment Canada, since publication of the first SNAc in 2001, policies and practices have evolved, particularly with respect to…

The European Environmental Bureau (EEB) posted on January 13, 2015, a paper entitled “NGO comments on Transparency measures for nanomaterials on the market:  Working conclusions.”  EEB, the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), Friends of the Earth (FOE) Australia, and Friends of the Earth Germany (BUND) state that they disagree with most of…

The Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) announced on December 17, 2014, that the Federal Council decided to continue the action plan for synthetic nanomaterials until 2019.  The objectives of the action plan include:

  • Development of regulatory framework conditions for the responsible handling of synthetic nanomaterials;
  • Creation of scientific and methodical conditions aimed

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Canada announced on January 9, 2015, that the New Substances Program has published six new risk assessment summaries for chemicals and polymers, including a summary for multi-wall carbon nanotubes.  Environment Canada and Health Canada conduct risk assessments on new substances.  These assessments include consideration of information on physical and chemical properties, hazards, uses, and…

 On January 13, 2015, the European Commission (EC) and its Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks (SCENIHR) published the final opinion “Guidance on the Determination of Potential Health Effects of Nanomaterials Used in Medical Devices.”  According to the EC, the Guidance provides information on how to evaluate the risk when…

 On January 27, 2015, the United Kingdom (UK) Health and Safety Laboratory (HSL) will hold a one-day course on “Nanotechnology Health & Safety — A Practical Approach.”  The course is intended to help participants gain an understanding of the techniques and methods available to identify and control exposure to airborne nanomaterials.  HSL…