On March 31, 2014, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it issued an order to Pathway Investment Corp. of Englewood, New Jersey to stop the sale of plastic food storage containers that have not been tested or registered with EPA, in violation of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). According to EPA’s press release, the company’s Kinetic Go Green Premium Food Storage Containers and Kinetic Smartwist Series Containers contain...
March 28, 2014
ECHA Report Includes Recommendations for Exposure Assessment and Risk Characterization of Nanomaterials under REACH
On March 26, 2014, SAFENANO announced that the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) published a report entitled Human health and environmental exposure assessment and risk characterisation of nanomaterials: Best practice for REACH registrants. The report summarizes the outcomes of the third (and last) meeting of the Group Assessing Already Registered Nanomaterials (GAARN). The September 30, 2013, meeting focused on discussing the approach and challenges faced by participant...
March 26, 2014
NNI Publishes Supplement to President’s 2015 Budget
On March 25, 2014, the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) published a supplement to President Obama’s 2015 budget request submitted to Congress on March 4, 2014. The supplement provides a description of the activities underway in 2013 and 2014 and planned for 2015 by the federal government agencies participating in the NNI, primarily from a programmatic and budgetary perspective. NNI states that it is based on the NNI Strategic Plan and reports actual investments...
NanoDiode is conducting a survey concerning Europeans’ preferences for nanotechnologies. According to NanoDiode, the results will be used “to inspire policy makers, researchers and companies across Europe.” NanoDiode states that stakeholder engagement and dialogue is essential to the responsible development of nanotechnologies in Europe, and invites lay consumers to participate in the survey. NanoDiode, which is funded by the European Union, establishes a coordinated program for...
March 20, 2014
America Competes Reauthorization Act Would Reauthorize NNI
On March 6, 2014, Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX), Ranking Member of the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, introduced the America Competes Reauthorization Act of 2014 (H.R. 4159). The bill would establish, revise, and extend specified science, technology, engineering, and mathematics programs, as well as education, research, and training programs. The bill would reauthorize the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) “to ensure the United States remains a leader in...
March 19, 2014
EC Begins Public Consultation on Transparency Measures for Nanomaterials on the Market
As part of the Communication on the Second Regulatory Review on Nanomaterials, the European Commission (EC) announced the launch of an impact assessment intended to identify and develop the most adequate means to increase transparency and ensure regulatory oversight on nanomaterials. The EC has provided a working document, which contains a draft problem definition, policy objectives, and a description of the preliminary policy options that are under consideration. The EC will update...
March 19, 2014
EU NanoSafety Cluster Begins Database Survey
The European Union (EU) NanoSafety Cluster announced on March 18, 2014, the availability of an online nanosafety database survey. According to the EU Nanosafety Cluster, this is the first survey in a biannual effort to collect, organize, and share up-to-date information about nanosafety-related databases worldwide. The EU NanoSafety Cluster will continuously update the list of databases “with new valuable insight along its development.” The objective is to help owners and administrators...
March 17, 2014
Germany Releases Study Assessing Impacts of European Register of Products Containing Nanomaterials
Earlier this month, the German Federal Environment Agency (UBA) issued a report entitled Assessment of Impacts of a European Register of Products Containing Nanomaterials, which was intended to analyze the impacts of a European register of products containing nanomaterials (ENPR). The study identified the sectors and companies that would be affected by an ENPR, and estimated the number of notifiers and notifications, categories of substances, concerned mixtures, and articles....
On February 25, 2014, the National Science Foundation (NSF) announced the results of an NSF and National Nanotechnology Coordination Office (NNCO)-funded independent study that identifies more than $1 trillion in global revenue from nano-enabled products in 2013. NSF states that, to help quantify the global growth in nanotechnology research and development, Lux Research released a new report on global spending for emerging nanotechnology and the next generation of nano-enabled...
March 12, 2014
European Parliament Objects to European Commission’s Definition of Engineered Nanomaterials in Food
The European Parliament (EP) passed a resolution on March 12, 2014, that objects to the European Commission’s (EC) proposed regulation that would define “engineered nanomaterials” in food. According to the EP’s press release, the EC’s proposed regulation “would grant a blanket exemption from food-labelling requirements for nano-additives already on the market.” The press release quotes EP Member Carl Schlyter, who is credited for the EP’s “scrutiny” of the proposed...