The European Commission (EC) published on July 14, 2016, a regulation in the Official Journal of the European Union that amends Annex VI, the list of ultraviolet (UV) filters allowed in cosmetic products, of the cosmetics regulation. Under the amendment, the entry for titanium dioxide is revised to state that the combined use of titanium dioxide and titanium dioxide (nano) must not exceed 25 percent maximum concentration in ready-for-use preparation. The amendment...
Category: General
On July 11, 2016, the NanoSafety Cluster (NSC) published the 2016 edition of the Compendium of Projects in the European NanoSafety Cluster. According to NSC, the focus of investment and research “has moved increasingly towards predictive and high throughput approaches to nanosafety, including safety-by-design, bioinformatics, as well as the utilisation of nano-characterisation and safety datasets to support regulation and nanoproduct commercialisation.” The 2016 Compendium contains...
On June 29, 2016, the European Commission (EC) provided a notice to the European Parliament regarding its response to a 2014 petition calling for a European Union (EU)-wide ban on microplastics and nanoparticles. The petition summary states: “Nanoparticles are so small that they penetrate cells effortlessly and can damage them, causing cancer. Because the precautionary principle applies in the EU, the petitioner urges a ban on these small particles as soon as possible.” In its...
July 6, 2016
CRS Prepares “Policy Primer” on Nanotechnology
The Congressional Research Service (CRS) prepared a June 28, 2016, report, Nanotechnology: A Policy Primer. The report provides an overview of federal research and development (R&D) in nanotechnology, U.S. competitiveness in the field, environmental, health, and safety (EHS) concerns, nanomanufacturing, and public understanding of and attitudes toward nanotechnology. According to the report, while more than 60 nations established similar programs after the launch of the National...
On June 20, 2016, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) published a scientific opinion entitled “Priority topics for the development of risk assessment guidance by EFSA’s Scientific Committee in 2016-2018.” EFSA asked its Scientific Committee to review its cross-cutting guidance for scientific assessments to identify gaps requiring either new or revised guidance. The Scientific Committee identified topics to be included in its 2016-2018 work program without...
June 21, 2016
nanoIndEx Publishes Guidance Document on Assessment of Personal Exposure to Airborne Nanomaterials
In June 2016, the “Assessment of Individual Exposure to manufactured nanomaterials by means of personal monitors and samples” (nanoIndEx) project published a guidance document entitled Assessment of Personal Exposure to Airborne Nanomaterials. The three-year project was funded under the Safe Implementation of Innovative Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (SIINN) European Research Area Network (ERA-NET). Its aim was to determine the field readiness and usability of the...
In June 2016, Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) announced the availability of two reports on the potential use of nanotechnologies in existing food additives and food packaging. FSANZ retained an expert toxicologist to review publicly available scientific literature on whether there is reasonable evidence of health risks associated with oral ingestion of titanium dioxide, silicon dioxide, and silver in food. These food additives may contain a proportion of...
June 15, 2016
Presentations Available from International Symposium on Asbestos-Like Fibers from Nanomaterials and Other Advanced Materials
On June 14, 2016, Germany’s Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA) posted the presentations from the April 20, 2016, symposium, “WHO fibres from nanomaterials and other advanced materials: Do we have to tackle a new asbestos problem in OSH?” The goal was to initiate a transdisciplinary debate among representatives from academia, regulatory agencies, industry, and other interested parties in the governance landscape on advanced materials. It was also...
The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) recently submitted several draft guidance documents concerning nanomaterials to Partner Expert Groups (PEG) for consultation. Following consultation with PEGs, ECHA will consult its committees and/or Forum, where relevant. The final consultation will be with the European Commission (EC) and the relevant Competent Authorities. To ensure that the guidance updating process is transparent and open to participation by relevant partners, ECHA will...
June 8, 2016
UK Nanosafety Group Publishes Updated Guidance to Support Safe Working with Nanomaterials
In May 2016, the UK Nanosafety Group (UKNSG) published a second edition of its guidance document, Working Safely with Nanomaterials in Research & Development. The second edition of the guidance provides updates to account for changes in legislation, recent studies in the literature, and best practice since 2012. In particular, according to the guidance, specific sections have been revised to account for the full implementation of the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and...