On July 24, 2026, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a final significant new use rule (SNUR) for multi-walled carbon nanotubes (P-22-163) that were the subject of a premanufacture notice (PMN) and are also subject to an Order issued by EPA pursuant to the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). 91 Fed. Reg. 46742. The SNUR requires persons who intend to manufacture (including import) or process these multi-walled carbon nanotubes for an activity that is designated as a...
Regulatory and legal developments involving nano and other emerging chemical technologies
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has published the Developments in Delegations on the Safety of Manufactured Nanomaterials and Advanced Materials -- Tour de Table: July 2024 -- June 2025 (Tour de Table). The Tour de Table lists U.S. developments on the human health and environmental safety of nanomaterials between June 2024 and May 2025: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) received notification of “one nanoscale substances based for a multiwalled...
In June 2026, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) published standard ISO/TS 4966:2026, “Nanotechnologies -- Silica nanomaterials -- Specification of characteristics and measurement methods for nanoporous silica microparticles applied in liquid chromatography.” ISO notes that in common with other nanostructured materials, the manufacturing and material specification of nanoporous silica microparticles are complex. According to ISO, small variations in the synthesis...
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) published on July 2, 2026, two new Test Guidelines (TG) for nanomaterials: Test No. 127: Dustiness determination of materials containing nano‑objects and their aggregates and agglomerates: OECD developed the TG to address the need for standardized dustiness test methods applicable to powders containing granular and fibrous nano-objects and their aggregates and agglomerates (NOAA). The objective of the TG is to provide methods...
June 16, 2026
EUON Publishes Nanopinion on How Simple Rules Can Guide the Design of Boron Nanomaterials
On June 9, 2026, the European Union (EU) Observatory for Nanomaterials (EUON) published a Nanopinion entitled “From Boron Fullerenes to Borophenes: A Simple Rule for Designing New Nanomaterials” by Nevill Gonzalez Szwacki, Ph.D., a theoretical physicist at the Faculty of Physics, University of Warsaw. The article describes how an idea known as atomic coordination can link different types of boron nanomaterials, including boron fullerenes and borophenes. According to the article, boron...
On April 9, 2026, the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) published its supplement to the President’s 2026 budget request. The report provides the program budget for fiscal years (FY) 2024 and 2025, as well as the requested budget for 2026. As required, it also provides a breakout of NNI’s plans and spending by NNI Program Component Area -- foundational research; applications, devices, and systems; research infrastructure and instrumentation; education and workforce development; and...
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Human Food Program (HFP) has prepared a list of priority research, data, and method needs that, if fulfilled, will help FDA better understand the underlying factors that may cause or contribute to health risks from HFP-regulated products. FDA states that it provided these research, data, and method needs for researchers interested in pursuing science that is useful to advancing the safety of the U.S. food supply. According to FDA, the list may also...
March 6, 2026
Canada Publishes Nanomaterials Risk Assessment Framework
On March 5, 2026, Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) and Health Canada (HC) published the Framework for the Risk Assessment of Manufactured Nanomaterials under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999. According to Canada, the document establishes a framework for the risk assessment of nanomaterials under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA), including both existing nanomaterials on the Domestic Substances List (DSL), and new nanomaterials notified under the...
February 14, 2026
NSF Will Establish National Quantum and Nanotechnology Research Infrastructure; Letters of Intent Are Due March 16, 2026
The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) announced on February 13, 2026, that it is investing up to $100 million to establish a nationwide network of open-access research facilities for quantum and nanoscale technologies, innovation, and workforce training. According to NSF, the NSF National Quantum and Nanotechnology Infrastructure (NSF NQNI) program will support up to 16 sites over five years, providing students, researchers, and industry with access to state-of-the-art fabrication and...
February 11, 2026
Austrian Academy of Sciences Publishes NanoTrust Dossier on OELs for Nanomaterials
In January 2026, the Institute of Technology Assessment of the Austrian Academy of Sciences published a NanoTrust Dossier entitled “Occupational Exposure Limits for Nanomaterials.” The Dossier provides an overview of occupational exposure limits (OEL) for engineered nanomaterials in Europe. It highlights the challenges in establishing OELs for nanomaterials and safeguarding workers and presents initiatives to accelerate the toxicity assessment of nanomaterials. The Dossier notes that...