Nano and Other Emerging Chemical Technologies Blog

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) published a report entitled Alternative Testing Strategies in Risk Assessment of Manufactured Nanomaterials:  Current State of Knowledge and Research Needs to Advance Their Use.  Experts from academia, industry, public interest groups, and government researched, analyzed, and discussed how alternative models could be used to advance the risk analysis of manufactured nanomaterials.  The objectives were to...

We are pleased to announced that Lynn L. Bergeson, Charles M. Auer, and Carla N. Hutton published an article, “Practitioner Insights:  A Review and Analysis of TSCA Reform Provisions Pertinent to Manufacturers and Processors of Nanoscale Materials,” in the January 26, 2017, issue of Bloomberg BNA’s Daily Environment Report.  The article reviews and analyzes the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) as amended by the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act,...

The Swedish Chemicals Agency (KEMI) is in the process of consulting with stakeholders on a draft regulation that would require companies to provide information on nanomaterials in chemical products to the Swedish products register by February 28, 2019.  According to KEMI, the proposal is the same as presented in its 2015 report.  Although the report is in Swedish, it includes an English summary on page 8, which states: The Swedish Chemicals Agency proposes that...

On January 13, 2017, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) sent the draft appendix on recommendations for nanomaterials applicable to the guidance on registration to the Forum, Member State Committee, and Risk Assessment Committee for consultation.  The draft guidance outlines the minimum elements potential registrants need to consider when registering substances that fulfil the European Commission’s (EC) Recommendation for the definition of nanomaterial.  The aim of the...

John Howard, M.D., Director of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), authored a January 10, 2017, NIOSH blog item entitled “Occupational Health Issues in the USA.”  Howard shares a recent editorial he wrote in Occupational Medicine, “Occupational health issues in the USA,” that highlights some of the occupational safety and health issues identified as needing attention by the industry sector groups of the National Occupational Research Agenda...

The Nano-Portal:  Safe Handling of Nanomaterials, the result of a project supported by the Deutsche Gesetzliche Unfallversicherung (DGUV) and developed by the Innovation Society, is now available in English.  The website is intended to extend knowledge about occupational safety and health in the fields of nanomaterials and nanotechnologies.  The Nano-Portal addresses: Awareness of prevention and safety experts in the safe handling of nanomaterials; Qualification of employees...

The National Nanotechnology Coordination Office (NNCO) periodically holds webinars to share information with the general public and the nanotechnology research and development community.  Upcoming webinars include the following: On January 18, 2017, the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) will hold a webinar on “Water Sustainability through Nanotechnology: Enabling Next-Generation Water Monitoring Systems.” In this webinar, panelists will discuss the current state of and...

The Committee on Hazardous Substances (AGS) of the Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA) began a public consultation on its update to several technical rules.  AGS seeks comment on Bekanntmachung zu Gefahrstoffen (BekGS) 527, “Hergestellte Nanomaterialien.”  Although BAuA has published an English translation of Announcement 527, “Manufactured Nanomaterials,” BAuA notes that it is not up-to-date and is unofficial.  The German documents are...

In November 2016, the Ministry of the Environment, Energy, and the Sea released its 2016 report, in French, Éléments issus des déclarations des substances à l’état nanoparticulaire.  The report analyzes nanomaterial declarations received in 2016 for reporting year 2015.  Under Decree No. 2012-232, companies that manufacture, import, and/or distribute a “substance with nanoparticle status” in an amount of at least 100 grams per year must submit an annual report with...

The American Innovation and Competitiveness Act (S. 3084) would amend the 21st Century Nanotechnology Research and Development Act (15 U.S.C. § 7501 et seq.) to change the frequency of National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) reports.  The strategic plan would be released every five instead of every three years, and the triennial review would be renamed the quadrennial review and be prepared every four years instead of every three.  The evaluation of the NNI, which is submitted...

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) released on December 20, 2016, a white paper entitled Sustainability in the Workplace:  A New Approach for Advancing Worker Safety and Health.  The paper highlights the importance of including worker safety and health in the growing movement toward sustainability and corporate responsibility.  According to the paper, research on sustainability does not include occupational safety and health.  The paper notes that...

On February 7-9, 2017, a conference focused on new tools and approaches for nanomaterial safety assessment will be held in Malaga, Spain.  The conference is jointly organized by five major Seventh Research Framework Program (FP7) projects:  NANOSOLUTIONS, GUIDEnano, Sustainable Nanotechnologies (SUN), NanoMILE, and eNanoMapper.  It will present the main results achieved in the course of the projects, fostering a discussion about their impact...

The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) announced in its December 14, 2016, ECHA Weekly that the following drafts for updated ECHA guidance on the Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) regulation have moved to the next consultation step and been sent to the Member State Committee for review: Guidance on recommendations for nanomaterials for environmental endpoints: Appendix R7-1 Recommendations for nanomaterials applicable to Chapter R7a Endpoint...

On November 15, 2016, the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) published a report, in English, entitled Nanoview — Influencing factors on the perception of nanotechnology and target group-specific risk communication strategies.  In 2007, BfR conducted a survey concerning the public perception of nanotechnology.  Given the newness of nanotechnology and that large sections of the population did not have any definite opinions or knowledge of it, BfR conducted a follow-up...

On December 7, 2016, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) announced the signing of a delegation agreement between ECHA and the European Commission (EC) on the European Union Observatory for Nanomaterials (EU-ON).  According to ECHA, the information sources for the EU-ON will include data generated by various pieces of EU legislation regulating the safe use of nanomaterials (e.g., the Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) regulation, biocides,...

On November 30, 2016, the White House published a blog item, “President Obama’s Top Ten Actions to Accelerate American Entrepreneurship,” and posted a fact sheet on President Obama’s entrepreneurship accomplishments.  The tenth action is “Unleashed entrepreneurship in the industries of the future, including clean energy, biotechnology, the commercial space industry, nanotechnology, drones, robotics, advanced manufacturing, and more.”  The fact sheet lists several...

Registration is now open for a December 7, 2016, National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) webinar, “Water Sustainability through Nanotechnology:  Increasing Water Availability.”  NNI states that water demand in the U.S. is projected to increase over the next several decades.  In addition to increased demand, many U.S. aquifers are being depleted at unsustainable rates, which may lead to increased challenges in locating usable water sources in the future.  During...

On November 24, 2016, the Australian Department of the Environment and Energy began a public consultation on the Draft National Standard for the Environmental Risk Management of Industrial Chemicals and a supporting Draft Explanatory Document.  According to the Department, the primary purpose of the papers is to outline the design and operation of the National Standard.  The Draft National Standard contains risk management measures applicable for each Environment Schedule under the...

On October 13, 2016, OCSiAl announced that it is the first manufacturer of single wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) to complete Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) registration.  According to OCSiAl, the registration was successfully completed thanks to the collaboration between OCSiAl’s Health and Safety Department, Envigo, and Intertek, which jointly completed the work involved in demonstrating compliance with the standards and requirements of...

On November 22, 2016, the European Commission’s (EC) Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) began a public consultation on its opinion on additional coatings for titanium dioxide (nano form) as an ultraviolet (UV)-filter in dermally applied cosmetic products.  The EC asked if SCCS considered safe the use of cetyl phosphate, manganese dioxide, and triethoxycaprylylsilane as coatings for titanium dioxide (nano) used as a UV-filter in dermally-applied cosmetic products.  SCCS...