Nano and Other Emerging Chemical Technologies Blog

On March 29, 2017, the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) announced the availability of nanomaterial stewardship guidance sponsored by the AIHA Nanotechnology Working Group.  The guidance addresses stewardship considerations for nanomaterials and nanoproducts based on the evolving state of the science for human health hazard, exposure, and risk assessment.  The guidance promotes a life cycle approach and safer design principles for particles, production,...

On March 7, 2017, the Institut de recherche Robert-Sauvé en santé et en sécurité du travail (IRSST) published the final report for Project 2013-0059, “The Development and Validation of Methods for Sampling and Characterizing Engineered Nanomaterials in Air and on Workplace Surfaces.”  The report is available in French, but the abstract is available in English.  The main goal was to develop innovative methodological approaches for detailed qualitative and...

On March 7, 2017, the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) issued a final opinion on additional coatings for titanium dioxide (nano form) coated with cetyl phosphate, manganese dioxide, or triethoxycaprylylsilane as an ultraviolet (UV)-filter in dermally applied cosmetics.  The conclusion states that given a general lack of dermal absorption and low general toxicity of nano-forms of titanium dioxide, SCCS considers that the use of the three titanium dioxide nanomaterials, coated...

The Congressional Research Service (CRS) prepared a March 14, 2017, report entitled Science and Technology Issues in the 115th Congress.  The report outlines science and technology policy issues that may come before the 115th Congress.  The report notes that, given the rapid pace of science and technology advancement and its importance in many diverse public policy issues, issues not discussed in this report may come before Congress.  The selected issues are grouped into nine...

On March 15, 2017, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) published a Federal Register notice announcing the availability of a draft Current Intelligence Bulletin (CIB) entitled The NIOSH Occupational Exposure Banding Process: Guidance for the Evaluation of Chemical Hazards for public comment.  Under occupational exposure banding, chemicals are assigned to specific categories or bands based on the chemical’s potency and the negative health...

On March 14, 2017, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) extended the comment period on the proposed information collection entitled “Survey of Engineered Nanomaterial Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Practices.”  The goal of the project is to assess the relevance and impact of NIOSH’s contribution to guidelines and risk mitigation practices for safe handling of engineered nanomaterials in the workplace.  NIOSH invites comment on: Whether the...

On March 10, 2017, the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) began a public consultation on its opinion on titanium dioxide (nanoform) as an ultraviolet (UV)-filter in sprays.  In July 2015, the European Commission (EC) received new data from industry to support the safe use of nano titanium dioxide when used as a UV-filter in sunscreens and personal care spray products at a concentration up to 5.5 percent.  The EC asked SCCS whether, in light of the data provided, nano...

NanoMONITOR’s first stakeholders’ day, April 4, 2017, will include a workshop on “Development of a real-time information and monitoring system to support the risk assessment of nanomaterials under REACH.”  The overall aim of the NanoMONITOR project is to develop a prototype system to generate robust, accessible, comparable, and interoperable environmental and indoor air monitoring data to support the implementation of the Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction...

On March 9, 2017, the NanoSafety Cluster published its 2017 Research Regulatory Roadmap.  The purpose of the Roadmap is to identify both ongoing and complete activities associated with the development of regulations promoting the safety of nanomaterials.  The Roadmap identifies research areas or priorities that need to be addressed further to facilitate this process.  According to the Roadmap, there remain significant gaps in knowledge and procedures that need to be addressed...

On March 2, 2017, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) announced that its Board of Appeal issued its decision in Case A-011-2014, which concerns a Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) dossier evaluation for titanium dioxide.  In its evaluation, ECHA considered only the substance identity information required and not the information requirements for human health and environmental effects.  The Contested Decision required...

In January 2017, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) published International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC)/Technical Specification (TS) 80004-9:2017, “Nanotechnologies — Vocabulary — Part 9:  Nano-enabled electrotechnical products and systems.”  IEC/TS 80004-9:2017 specifies terms and definitions for electrotechnical products and systems reliant on nanomaterials for their essential functionalities.  ISO states that it is intended to facilitate...

On February 23, 2017, the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) issued a press release announcing a new report, commissioned by CIEL, the European Environmental Citizens’ Organization for Standardization (ECOS), and the Oeko-Institute, that “shows that most of the information made available by the Sponsorship Testing Programme of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) is of little to no value for the regulatory risk assessment of...

According to the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) website, several Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) guidance documents concerning nanomaterials have moved to the next step in the consultation process.  The draft recommendations for nanomaterials applicable to the guidance on quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSAR) and grouping of chemicals was sent to the Competent Authorities for REACH and Classification, Labeling, and...

According to the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) website, the draft Guidance on information requirements and Chemical Safety Assessment:  Appendix R7-1 Recommendations for nanomaterials applicable to Chapter R7a Endpoint specific guidance and Appendix R7-2 Recommendations for nanomaterials applicable to Chapter R7c Endpoint specific guidance has been sent to the Competent Authorities for Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) and...

On February 27, 2017, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) announced the availability of a draft chapter to be published in the NIOSH Manual of Analytical Methods entitled “Analysis of Carbon Nanotubes and Nanofibers on Mixed Cellulose Ester Filters by Transmission Electron Microscopy” for public comment.  The draft chapter provides standardized approaches for the analysis of carbon nanoparticles.  NIOSH states that these standardized...

The TechConnect World Innovation Conference and Expo, which will be held May 14-17, 2017, in Washington, D.C., will include a panel discussion on May 16, 2017, on “Safety and Innovation as Partners for Success in Advanced Manufacturing” as part of the Advanced Manufacturing Symposium.  The session description states that as emerging and novel technologies, materials, and information are integrated into increasingly automated and networked manufacturing processes, the elements...

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) published a Federal Register notice on February 10, 2017, inviting comment on a proposed information collection plan, “Survey of Engineered Nanomaterial Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Practices.”  The goal of the project is to assess the relevance and impact of NIOSH’s contribution to guidelines and risk mitigation practices for safe handling of engineered nanomaterials in the workplace.  The...

ClientEarth published a January 11, 2017, blog item entitled “Three-year wait for nanomaterial risk data promised ‘in the next weeks.’”  Under the Cosmetics Directive, the European Commission (EC) was to publish by January 11, 2014, an inventory of nanomaterials used in cosmetic products on the European Union market.  The EC has postponed publication of the inventory several times, due to the allegedly poor quality of the information it received from industry.  ClientEarth...

The Institut de recherche Robert-Sauvé en santé et en sécurité du travail (IRSST) published a news item on January 16, 2017, entitled “Nanoparticles — to handle with care.”  IRSST states that although research is still in development, it appears that nanoparticles can enter the respiratory tract or penetrate through the skin and make their way to the bloodstream, which may carry the nanoparticles to various organs.  While studies have been...

On February 1, 2017, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) posted a blog item entitled “The Art and Science of OELs for Nanomaterials.”  According to the item, NIOSH searched for proposals for occupational exposure limits (OEL) for new nanomaterials as part of the development of a World Health Organization (WHO) guideline for working safely with nanomaterials.  The blog item cites the article “Occupational exposure limits for manufactured...