The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) announced on December 3, 2019, that it has developed a new Appendix for nanoforms applicable to the Guidance on Registration and Substance Identification. According to ECHA, it aligns ECHA’s guidance with the amended annexes of the Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) regulation that will apply to nanomaterials and enter into force on January 1, 2020. The new guidance document explains the term nanoform,...
December 2, 2019
White Paper Identifies Challenges Associated with Regulating Nanotechnology-Enabled Health Products in the EU
The European Commission’s Joint Research Center (JRC) recently published a white paper entitled Anticipation of regulatory needs for nanotechnology-enabled health products. The white paper notes that at this time, “no specific regulatory framework exists for nanotechnology-enabled health products but the current regulatory practice requires additional guidance in order to fully cover the particularities of such products.” The white paper identifies the following major...
November 27, 2019
ChemSec Adds Carbon Nanotubes to SIN List
The International Chemical Secretariat (ChemSec) announced on November 14, 2019, that it added more chemicals, including carbon nanotubes, to its Substitute It Now! (SIN) List. ChemSec describes carbon nanotubes as “one of the more well-studied nanomaterials” and notes that “they are used to make durable, lightweight materials, for electrical conductivity, as a super black pigment and for water purification, among other uses.” Dr. Anna Lennquist, Project Manager for...
November 25, 2019
EPA Issues Final SNUR for Carbon Nanomaterial (Generic) (PMN P-10-366)
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued final significant new use rules (SNUR) on November 25, 2019, for 22 chemical substances, including carbon nanomaterial (generic) (PMN P-10-366), that are the subject of premanufacture notices (PMN). 84 Fed. Reg. 64754. Persons who intend to manufacture (defined by statute to include import) or process any of these chemical substances for an activity that is designated as a significant new use by the SNURs to notify EPA...
November 22, 2019
EC Requests Scientific Opinions on Nanoforms of Platinum and Gold
On November 22, 2019, the European Commission (EC) Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship, and Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SME) requested two scientific opinions from the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS): The request for a scientific opinion on platinum (nano)-colloidal platinum (nano) and acetyl tetrapeptide-17 colloidal platinum (nano) states that the EC received 18 notifications for cosmetic products containing platinum (10 notifications)...
November 19, 2019
NNI Announces Launch of Nanotechnology Entrepreneurship Network
The National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) announced on November 19, 2019, the launch of the Nanotechnology Entrepreneurship Network (NEN), “a new community of interest to support entrepreneurs interested in commercializing nanotechnologies.” According to NNI, NEN will bring new and seasoned entrepreneurs together with the people and resources available to support them. NNI states that NEN will provide a forum for sharing best practices for advancing nanotechnology...
November 18, 2019
EC Publishes Updated Catalog of Nanomaterials Used in Cosmetics
The European Commission (EC) announced on November 15, 2019, that it published an updated catalog of nanomaterials used in cosmetic products on the European Union (EU) market. As reported in our June 19, 2017, blog item, the EC first published a catalog in June 2017. The catalog compiles information that responsible persons shared with the EC through the cosmetic products notification portal (CPNP) as of December 31, 2018. The catalog lists 27 nanomaterials used...
November 15, 2019
EUON Publishes Nanopinion on Nanomaterials in Europe’s Workplaces
On November 12, 2019, the European Union (EU) Observatory for Nanomaterials (EUON) published a Nanopinion entitled “Nanomaterials in Europe’s workplaces: what are the risks and how can they be managed?” and written by Elke Schneider, European Agency for Health and Safety at Work (EU-OSHA). Schneider states that at the EU level, the requirements for managing nanomaterials and their potential risks are the same as those for managing other hazardous substances. Under the EU’s...
November 14, 2019
German Environmental Agency Will Hold Conference on Advanced Materials
The German Environment Agency (UBA) will hold a conference on December 5-6, 2019, on “Advanced Materials — 1st Thematic Conference.” UBA uses the term “advanced materials” to refer to a heterogeneous group of new or modified materials with improved properties for intended applications. According to UBA, for a certain number of these new materials, their potential risk may not be driven by their chemical identity alone but may also be determined by their physical and morphological...
On November 4, 2019, the European Commission’s (EC) Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) published an updated Guidance on the Safety Assessment of Nanomaterials in Cosmetics. The Guidance updates SCCS’s 2012 Guidance (SCCS/1484/12) on the safety assessment of nanomaterials in cosmetic products. It covers the main elements of safety assessment — general considerations (Section 2), material characterization (Section 3), exposure assessment (Section 4), hazard...