The Verband der Mineralfarbenindustrie e. V. (VdMi), which represents German manufacturers of inorganic, organic, and metallic pigments, fillers, carbon black, ceramic and glass colors, food colorants, artists’ and school paints, masterbatches, and products for applied photocatalysis, has published a “Comparative Compilation of relevant nano definitions in different regulations and their corresponding consequences.” The compilation notes that pigments and fillers often fall under the...
On February 19, 2021, the European Union (EU) Observatory for Nanomaterials (EUON) published a Nanopinion entitled “eREACHNano helps you to register nanoforms under REACH” by Dorte Rasmussen, Ph.D., who has been working on the exposure and risk assessment of chemicals at DHI A/S for almost 25 years. Rasmussen describes eREACHNano, a tool developed to explain Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) regulation requirements for nanoforms. ...
February 19, 2021
OECD Publishes Developments on the Safety of Manufactured Nanomaterials in Tour de Table
The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has published the latest edition of the Developments in Delegations on the Safety of Manufactured Nanomaterials — Tour de Table. The Tour de Table compiles information provided by delegations on the occasion of the 20th meeting of the OECD Working Party on Manufactured Nanomaterials (WPMN) in September 2020. Below are highlights from the Tour de Table: Canada: Canada is developing a nanomaterial...
February 11, 2021
OSHA’s Proposed Updates to Hazard Communication Standard Will Include Particle Characteristics
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is scheduled to publish a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) on February 16, 2021, that would modify the Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) to conform to the United Nations’ Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS) Revision 7 “to address issues that arose during the implementation of the 2012 update to the HCS, and provide better alignment with other U.S. agencies and international...
February 10, 2021
EC DG Invites Offers for Study on Providing Market Data about Nanotechnology to Enhance Transparency
In December 2020, the European Commission (EC) Directorate-General (DG) for Research and Innovation opened a call for tenders for “Providing market data about nanotechnology to enhance transparency.” The description states that the study on nanotechnology/nanomaterials is aimed to provide a new set of data from the period of 2017 to 2020 into the NanoData database, available on the European Union (EU) Observatory for Nanomaterials (EUON) website. This study will follow up on...
February 2, 2021
OECD Will Hold Webinar on Assessing the Dispersion Stability and Dissolution of Nanomaterials in the Environment
On February 25, 2021, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) will hold a webinar on “Assessing the dispersion stability and dissolution (rate) of nanomaterials in the environment” to discuss the scope, content, and use of Test Guideline No. 318: Dispersion Stability of Nanomaterials in Simulated Environmental Media and its accompanying guidance document. According to OECD, “[t]he increased production and wide usage of manufactured...
January 26, 2021
Health, Environment, and Justice Organizations Seek Clarification from ECHA on Nano and Biocidal-Treated Products
On January 20, 2021, Health Care Without Harm (HCWH) Europe and 12 other health, environment, and justice organizations sent a letter to Bjorn Hansen, Executive Director of the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) “seeking clarifications on both the applicable legal framework and risk management measures in place, for nano/biocidal-treated articles in the context of the current COVID-19 pandemic.” The letter states that “[a]s a result of laboratory tests supposedly showing...
January 21, 2021
Registration Opens for NNI Webinar on “What We Know about NanoEHS: How It All Began”
Registration is now open for the U.S. National Nanotechnology Initiative’s (NNI) February 9, 2021, webinar, “What We Know about NanoEHS: How It All Began.” NNI states that its 2021 NanoEHS webinar series will focus on sharing what it now knows about the environmental, health, and safety aspects of engineered nanomaterials (nanoEHS). According to NNI, throughout the series, “experts will share the big take-home EHS messages with the broader nanotechnology...
January 12, 2021
SCCS Opinion on the Safety of Nanomaterials in Cosmetics Includes Prioritized List of Nanomaterials for Risk Assessment
On January 11, 2021, the European Commission’s (EC) Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) posted a final opinion entitled Scientific Advice on the Safety of Nanomaterials in Cosmetics. The EC requested that SCCS determine the nanomaterials, as published in the 2019 catalogue of nanomaterials, for which specific concerns can be identified and justified to establish a priority list of nanomaterials for risk assessment (Article 16(4) Reg. 1223/2009). The final opinion...
January 5, 2021
NIOSH Science Blog Reports on Recent Article Concerning Carbon Nanotubes and Nanofibers Used or Produced in U.S. Facilities
On January 5, 2021, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) posted a Science Blog item entitled “Understanding the Broad Class of Carbon Nanotubes and Nanofibers (CNT/F) Used or Produced in U.S. Facilities.” The item summarizes a recently published article in the journal Particle and Fibre Toxicology, “Physicochemical characterization and genotoxicity of the broad class of carbon nanotubes and nanofibers used or produced in U.S. facilities” that...
January 4, 2021
ACGIH® TLV®-CS Committee Seeks Information on Carbon Nanotubes
The American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH®) Threshold Limit Values for Chemical Substances (TLV®-CS) Committee has included carbon nanotubes on its 2021 list of chemical substances and other issues under study. Being placed on the under study list indicates that the TLV®-CS Committee has selected carbon nanotubes for development of a threshold limit value (TLV®). ACGIH® describes TLVs® as health-based values representing the...
December 30, 2020
OECD Will Hold Webinar on Aquatic and Sediment Ecotoxicity Testing of Nanomaterials
On January 26, 2021, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) will hold a webinar on Guidance Document on Aquatic and Sediment Toxicological Testing of Nanomaterials (No. 317). The webinar will discuss the scope and use of the guidance document, which addresses practical aspects of carrying out valid tests on nanomaterials, and modifications or additions to OECD Test Guidelines procedures intended to improve the accuracy of test...
December 29, 2020
OECD Publishes Report on Moving toward a Safe(r) Innovation Approach for More Sustainable Nanomaterials and Nano-Enabled Products
The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) published a report entitled Moving Towards a Safe(r) Innovation Approach (SIA) for More Sustainable Nanomaterials and Nano-enabled Products. According to the Executive Summary, the report “presents common working descriptions to ensure a common understanding of concepts such as: Safe(r) Innovation Approach and its elements, Safe(r)-by-Design and Regulatory Preparedness.” The report compiles existing risk...
December 23, 2020
OECD Publishes Report on Ability of Biopersistent/Biodurable Manufactured Nanomaterials to Induce LMP as a Prediction of Their Long-Term Toxic Effects
The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has posted a report entitled Ability of biopersistent/biodurable manufactured nanomaterials (MNs) to induce lysosomal membrane permeabilization (LMP) as a prediction of their long-term toxic effects. The report describes “the expanding knowledge on the implications and biological significance of lysosomal and autophagy dysfunction and the subsequent assembly and activation of inflammasome NLRP3 induced by biodurable...
December 22, 2020
OECD Publishes Reports on Outcome of Project on Advancing Adverse Outcome Pathway Development for Nanomaterial Risk Assessment and Categorization
In 2016, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development’s (OECD) Working Party on Manufactured Nanomaterials (WPMN) included the Advancing Adverse Outcome Pathway (AOP) Development for Nanomaterial Risk Assessment and Categorization (NanoAOP) project in its program of work. The objective of the project is to contribute to the future development and application of AOPs for manufactured nanomaterial regulatory decision making by following the principles established by the OECD...
December 11, 2020
EUON Conducting Web Satisfaction Survey
The European Union (EU) Observatory for Nanomaterials (EUON) is conducting a web satisfaction survey. EUON provides information on the safety, innovation, research, and uses of nanomaterials on the EU market. It is intended for stakeholders developing policies in the area, consumers, industry representatives, and non-governmental organizations. EUON is funded by the European Commission (EC) and hosted and maintained by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA). Information from the survey...
December 9, 2020
ANSES Evaluates R-Nano Register, Offers Recommendations to Improve Reliability and Optimize Its Use
On December 1, 2020, the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety (ANSES) announced the results of an assessment of R-Nano, France’s national reporting scheme for substances in nanoparticle form. In 2013, France began requiring companies that manufacture, import, and/or distribute a “substance with nanoparticle status” in an amount of at least 100 grams per year to submit an annual report with substance identity, quantity, and use...
On December 3, 2020, a workshop will be held on “Creating a NanoRisk Governance Council: Stakeholder evaluation and feedback.” The workshop is aimed at working with stakeholders to obtain their feedback on the services and on the four scenarios being discussed for the establishment of the proposed NanoRisk Governance Council. The workshop will comprise a plenary session plus up to four breakout sessions. Some information about the scenarios will be provided prior...
The European Union (EU) Observatory for Nanomaterials (EUON) announced on November 16, 2020, the results of a study on how citizens perceive nanomaterials and their potential risks to human health and the environment. According to EUON, the study found that general awareness about the nature, characteristics, and properties of nanomaterials is low. EUON notes that the level of awareness has increased compared to earlier surveys, however, and is expected to continue...
November 24, 2020
EFSA Publishes Environmental Risk Assessment of the Application of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology in the Food and Feed Chain
On November 19, 2020, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) published a report entitled “Environmental Risk Assessment (ERA) of the application of nanoscience and nanotechnology in the food and feed chain.” The authors analyzed existing ERA guidance documents for their adequacy to cover issues that are specific for nanomaterials, but note that none of the guidance has a specific focus on the food and feed chain. Each nanospecific issue was addressed by briefly reviewing the...