The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) is in the process of updating its guidance on the information requirements and chemical safety assessment (IR&CSA) for nanoforms under the Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) regulation. ECHA has developed three appendices concerning information requirements (appendices to IR&CSA Guidance Chapters R.7a, R.7b, and R.7c) to provide advice to registrants for use when preparing REACH registration dossiers that...
May 10, 2021
EFSA Panel Concludes That Titanium Dioxide Cannot Be Considered Safe as a Food Additive
On May 6, 2021, the European Food Safety Association (EFSA) announced that E171 is no longer considered safe when used as a food additive. The European Commission (EC) asked EFSA to update its safety assessment of the food additive titanium dioxide (E171). EFSA states: “Taking into account all available scientific studies and data, the Panel [on Food Additives and Flavorings] concluded that titanium dioxide can no longer be considered safe as a food additive. ...
May 7, 2021
EC Review of Its Recommendation on the Definition of Nanomaterial Includes Targeted Stakeholder Consultation
In 2011, the European Commission (EC) adopted a Recommendation on the definition of a nanomaterial. The Recommendation invites member states, European Union (EU) agencies, and economic operators to use the definition “in the adoption and implementation of legislation and policy and research programmes concerning products of nanotechnologies.” The EC is now reviewing its Recommendation. It has launched a targeted stakeholder consultation to update, test, and...
In fall 2020, the Swedish National Platform for Nanosafety (SweNanoSafe) organized three workshops on education within nanosafety, with the goal of starting and consolidating an education network. The first workshop focused on the need for education in nanosafety, the second workshop was on available education on nanosafety in Sweden, and the third workshop discussed concrete opportunities to take various education efforts one step further. On May 5, 2021, SweNanoSafe...
May 3, 2021
EUON Publishes Nanopinion on Biotransformation of Nanomaterials While Transferring in the Food Chain
On April 29, 2021, the European Union (EU) Observatory for Nanomaterials (EUON) published a Nanopinion entitled “Biotransformation of nanomaterials while transferring in the food chain” by Dr. Fazel A. Monikh. As the application of nanomaterials increases, more of these materials are released in the environment. Monikh states that some nanomaterials that are persistent in the environment raise concerns as they can enter organisms’ bodies, accumulate in their organs, and...
April 20, 2021
NIA Publishes Position Paper on Changing Regulatory Landscape and Language for the Nanoscale
The Nanotechnology Industries Association (NIA) has published a March 2021 position paper, A changing regulatory landscape and language for the nanoscale, that examines the transition from “nanomaterial” to “nanoforms” to reflect better the differences in nanomaterial properties both in relation to bulk counterparts and to nanoforms of the same substance. In the paper, NIA describes a transition phase where the language of nanoforms is used more widely and examples of nanoform...
April 19, 2021
EC Scientific Committee’s Preliminary Opinions for Certain Gold and Platinum Nanomaterials Open for Comment
On April 16, 2021, the European Commission (EC) Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) posted two preliminary opinions for comment: Opinion on Gold (nano), Colloidal Gold (nano), Gold Thioethylamino Hyaluronic Acid (nano) and Acetyl heptapeptide-9 Colloidal gold (nano) and Opinion on Platinum (nano), Colloidal Platinum (nano) and Acetyl tetrapeptide-17 Colloidal Platinum (nano). The EC asked SCCS whether the nanomaterials gold and colloidal gold, gold...
April 13, 2021
EC Committee Concludes Hydroxyapatite (Nano) in Cosmetic Products Can Pose a Risk to Consumers
On April 12, 2021, the European Commission (EC) Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) published its final opinion on hydroxyapatite (nano). The EC asked whether SCCS considers the nanomaterial hydroxyapatite safe when used in leave-on and rinse-off dermal and oral cosmetic products according to the maximum concentrations and specifications reported, taking into account reasonably foreseeable exposure conditions. SCCS states that having considered the data provided, and...
April 6, 2021
Registration Open for April 27 NNI Webinar on “What We Know about NanoEHS: Environment”
Registration is open for the U.S. National Nanotechnology Initiative’s (NNI) April 27, 2021, webinar on “What We Know about NanoEHS: Environment.” The webinar will feature experts from diverse disciplines to share their perspectives on key findings on the effects of engineered nanomaterials in the environment. Elijah Petersen, Ph.D., Research Scientist, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), will moderate the panel, which will include: Jorge...
April 5, 2021
ISO Updates Series of Standards for Nanotechnology
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) published a news item on April 1, 2021, entitled “The Science of Tiny Little Things.” According to the item, ISO has recently made some revisions and updates to its comprehensive 13-part series of International Standards for nanotechnology. Updated standards include ISO/TS 80004-3, Nanotechnologies – Vocabulary – Part 3: Carbon nano-objects, which defines terms and concepts for carbon...