In July 2020, the German Environment Agency (UBA) published a report entitled Advanced materials: Overview of the field and screening criteria for relevance assessment. The report describes activities within the project “Advanced materials — Thematic conferences: Assessment of needs to act on chemical safety” to provide discussion input on approaches to describe, cluster, and prioritize advanced materials. The aim of the report is to identify relevant advanced...
On July 1, 2020, the European Union (EU) Observatory for Nanomaterials (EUON) published a Nanopinion entitled “Polymer based nanocomposites – enabling innovation, resource efficiency and helping to fight climate change” by Dr. Sabine Lindner, Consumer and Environmental Affairs, PlasticsEurope Deutschland e.V. Dr. Lindner notes how the addition of nanoscale particles to plastic matrices can improve the properties of products such as plastic packaging for food. According to Dr....
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on July 2, 2020, that it registered NSPW Nanosilver as a new active ingredient that helps suppress odor-causing bacteria, and algae, fungus, mold, and mildew that can cause deterioration or staining in textiles. EPA notes that NSPW Nanosilver is registered only for use in specified textiles, including fabrics, sportswear, footwear, linens, and awnings. NSPW Nanosilver is the active ingredient in the pesticide product...
On June 26, 2020, the European Commission (EC) published a regulation in the Official Journal of the European Union that amends Annex II of the Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) regulation. Annex II describes the requirements for compiling safety data sheets (SDS). The EC notes that specific requirements for nanoforms of substances took effect on January 1, 2020, and that information related to those requirements is to be...
On June 25, 2020, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) published a Nanotechnology Research Center (NTRC) Program Performance One-Pager (PPOP). NTRC conducts research to understand the potential effects on human health of exposure to engineered nanomaterials (ENM) and develops methods to control or eliminate exposures. According to the PPOP, NTRC’s accomplishments include conducting a survey to gather information about companies’ safety and...
On June 30, 2020, from 9:00 a.m.-10:30 a.m. (EDT), the European Union (EU) NanoSafety Cluster will hold a webinar on “Immune response from occupational exposure to CNTs and nanofibres.” The following speakers will discuss work at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) on the association of occupational exposure with ex vivo functional immune response in workers handling carbon nanotubes and...
June 18, 2020
Video and Slides Available from National Academies Briefing Webinar on Quadrennial Review of NNI
On June 9, 2020, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (National Academies) held a briefing webinar featuring its report, A Quadrennial Review of the National Nanotechnology Initiative. During the webinar, members of the ad hoc National Academies committee discussed how U.S. nanotechnology programs compare to those in other nations, whether coordination under the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) should continue, and how to improve the NNI’s...
On June 9, 2020, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (National Academies) held a briefing webinar featuring its report, A Quadrennial Review of the National Nanotechnology Initiative. During the webinar, members of the ad hoc National Academies committee discussed how U.S. nanotechnology programs compare to those in other nations, whether coordination under the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) should continue, and how to improve the NNI’s...
The European Union (EU) Observatory for Nanomaterials (EUON) posted a Nanopinion on June 12, 2020, entitled “Pigments: The oldest nanomaterials in human history facing modern day challenges.” Dr. Heike Liewald, Managing Director, Eurocolour e.V., and Giuliana Beck, Advisor, German association of producers of pigments and fillers, describe how the introduction of nano-specific requirements in statutes has significantly increased the regulatory burden. The authors state that...
June 10, 2020
France Intends to Improve the Identification and Assessment of Manufactured Nanomaterials in Food
On June 9, 2020, the French National Agency for Food, Environmental, and Occupational Health Safety (ANSES) issued a press release, in French, proposing an inventory of manufactured nanomaterials in food. According to ANSES, manufactured nanomaterials are used in food: As additives to improve the appearance and palatability of the product; As food contact materials to improve food packaging; and As nutrient-oriented ingredients that may be present at the nanoscale. ANSES used data...
June 9, 2020
NIA Survey on “Advanced Materials” Terminology and Relevance to Nanomaterials Closes on June 12
The Nanotechnology Industries Association (NIA) began a survey on June 4, 2020, inviting commercial actors within the nanomaterials arena (producers, users, and professional providers) to contribute their organization’s perception and use of the term “Advanced Materials.” According to NIA, there is increasing policy focus on the term “Advanced Materials,” with national governments and international frameworks starting to discuss potential safety and regulatory...
The U.S. National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) will hold a webinar on June 24, 2020, on “Advances in self-powered wearable sensors: A biofuel-powered electronic skin.” NNI states that the development and commercialization of self-powered, battery-free sensors with wireless capabilities would represent a significant step toward meeting the requirements for next-generation biosensors, medical devices, and robotics. Dr. Wei Gao, California Institute of Technology, will...
The Nanotechnology Industries Association (NIA) will hold a webinar on July 7, 2020, on “Introducing the NanoHarmony project.” Funded through Horizon 2020, NanoHarmony began on April 1, 2020. NanoHarmony brings together 14 expert partners from ten European countries and will work alongside the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) to support the development of test guidelines and guidance documents for...
May 27, 2020
EU NanoSafety Cluster Publishes Final Report of (nano) TiO2 Safety Communication Task Force
On May 26, 2020, the European Union (EU) NanoSafety Cluster announced the publication of the final report of the (nano) TiO2 safety communication Task Force. The goal of the task force was to provide scientific input to the ongoing classification of titanium dioxide (TiO2). The Task Force ran from January 2018 to January 2019, collecting information regarding the classification of TiO2 and information on TiO2 hazard potential from available...
May 22, 2020
Study Analyzes Existing Research on Dermal Absorption of Nanomaterials Used in Consumer Products and at Workplaces
The European Union (EU) Observatory for Nanomaterials (EUON) announced on May 20, 2020, that a recent study has analyzed existing research on whether nanomaterials used in consumer products and at workplaces are absorbed through the skin. The study was commissioned by EUON and carried out by the RPA consortium of Triskelion and the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM). According to EUON, the study found that the lack of standardized,...
May 13, 2020
WHO Publishes Principles and Methods to Assess Risk of Immunotoxicity Associated with Exposure to Nanomaterials
On April 12, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) published Environmental Health Criteria 244: Principles and methods to assess the risk of immunotoxicity associated with exposure to nanomaterials. WHO states that the document presents an overview of the current knowledge and evidence on principles and basic mechanisms of immunotoxicity caused by engineered nanomaterials (ENM). The document provides guidance on principles and methods for hazard and risk assessment of...
As reported in our April 8, 2020, blog item, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (National Academies) published a prepublication copy of A Quadrennial Review of the National Nanotechnology Initiative: Nanoscience, Applications, and Commercialization. The National Nanotechnology Coordination Office (NNCO) asked the National Academies to form an ad hoc committee to conduct a quadrennial review of the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI)...
May 8, 2020
EUON Publishes Nanopinion on ECETOC’s NanoApp
On May 5, 2020, the European Union (EU) Observatory for Nanomaterials (EUON) published a Nanopinion entitled “NanoApp helps navigate legal obligations under REACH.” Olivier de Matos, Secretary General of the European Center for Ecotoxicology and Toxicology (ECETOC), describes the web-based app that was designed to help registrants follow the European Chemicals Agency’s (ECHA) guidance on sets of nanoforms. According to de Matos, the app primarily covers the “Appendix for...
May 4, 2020
EPA Proposes SNUR for Carbon Nanotubes (Generic)
On May 4, 2020, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published proposed significant new use rules (SNUR) under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) for chemical substances that were the subject of premanufacture notices (PMN) and are subject to orders issued by EPA pursuant to TSCA. 85 Fed. Reg. 26419. The SNURs require persons who intend to manufacture (defined by statute to include import) or process any of these chemical substances for an activity that is...
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has published standard ISO/TS 21412:2020, “Nanotechnologies — Nano-object-assembled layers for electrochemical bio-sensing applications — Specification of characteristics and measurement methods.” The standard specifies the characteristics to be measured of nano-object-assembled layers on electrodes by means of a solution process and of nano-objects constituting the layers for electrochemical applications such as...