Nano and Other Emerging Chemical Technologies Blog

The German Environment Agency (UBA) has published a report summarizing the contents and outcomes of the October 2017 scientific stakeholder meeting on nanomaterials in the environment.  The meeting focused on the relevant regulatory results of recent German and European research projects on nanomaterials in the environment.  The stakeholder meeting provided a forum for participants to present the state of the knowledge on environmental nanosafety in a regulatory context, as well as to...

The European Environmental Bureau (EEB) announced on December 22, 2017, the availability of its assessment of the environmental performance of the Estonian Presidency of the European Union (EU).  The assessment is based on the results of “Ten Green Tests” laid out at the beginning of Estonia’s Presidency.  The eighth test is protecting the public from hazardous chemicals, including mercury.  The test includes encouraging the European Commission (EC) “to develop a...

Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C®) and its consulting affiliate The Acta Group (Acta®) published on January 4, 2018, their “Predictions and Outlook for U.S. Federal and International Chemical Regulatory Policy 2018.”  In the Forecast, the lawyers, scientists, and chemical regulatory specialists at B&C and Acta offer comprehensive and highly useful observations on the fast-changing and nuanced area of domestic and global chemical legal, scientific, and regulatory issues expected...

On December 15, 2017, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) posted a blog item entitled “WHO Guidelines to Protect Workers from Nanomaterials.”  As reported in our December 13, 2017, blog item, the World Health Organization (WHO) recently published WHO Guidelines on Protecting Workers from Potential Risks of Manufactured Nanomaterials.  NIOSH Director John Howard, MD, describes the WHO Guidelines as “an important step in protecting workers worldwide from the...

In early December 2017, the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) published Frontiers 2017:  Emerging Issues of Environmental Concern.  The report covers six key emerging issues:  the environmental dimension of antimicrobial resistance; nanomaterials; marine protected areas and sustainable development; sand and dust storms; off-grid solar solutions; and environmental displacement.  The section on nanomaterials addresses nanodimensions — new discoveries about familiar materials;...

On December 18, 2017, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) published a Federal Register notice announcing the availability of a draft guidance for industry entitled “Drug Products, Including Biological Products, That Contain Nanomaterials:  Guidance for Industry.”  According to the notice, FDA developed the guidance to provide industry with its current thinking for the development of human drug products, including those that are biological products, in which a nanomaterial is present...

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is scheduled to publish a Federal Register notice announcing the availability of a draft guidance for industry entitled “Drug Products, Including Biological Products, that Contain Nanomaterials.”  According to the pre-publication version of the notice, FDA developed the guidance to provide industry with its current thinking for the development of human drug products, including those that are biological products, that contain nanomaterials.  The...

On November 30, 2017, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) held a webinar to explain the support documentation available for registrants that cover nanoforms in their Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) registration dossier.  The main focus was on the registration and read-across of nanoforms, but the webinar also covered updates for information requirements for human health and the environment.  ECHA has posted the following...

In December 2017, the World Health Organization (WHO) published WHO Guidelines on Protecting Workers from Potential Risks of Manufactured Nanomaterials.  WHO developed the Guidelines, which provide recommendations on how best to protect workers from the potential risks of manufactured nanomaterials (MNM).  According to WHO, its recommendations are intended to help policy-makers and professionals in the field of occupational health and safety in making decisions about the best...

In November 2017, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) published standard ISO/TS 20787:2017, “Nanotechnologies — Aquatic toxicity assessment of manufactured nanomaterials in saltwater lakes using Artemia sp. Nauplii.”  ISO/TS 20787:2017 specifies a test method, aiming to maximize repeatability and reliability of testing, to determine whether manufactured nanomaterials are toxic to aquatic organisms, specifically Artemia sp. nauplius.  ISO states that ISO/TS...