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On July 15, 2021, the European Union (EU) Observatory for Nanomaterials (EUON) published a Nanopinion entitled “The ECHA Nanomaterials Expert Group (NMEG)” by Frank Le Curieux, Scientific Area Leader for Genotoxicity at the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA). Le Curieux provides a brief summary of the creation of NMEG and its history. NMEG’s current mandate is to provide informal and non-binding scientific and technical advice on questions related to nanomaterials or nanoforms of substances...

The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has launched a call for tenders to perform a study “Assessment of the potential impact of graphene, graphene oxide and other 2D materials on health, and the environment” as part of the European Union (EU) Observatory for Nanomaterials (EUON). According to the description, the goal of the study is to conduct a systematic literature review of the health and environmental effects of graphene, graphene oxide, and other two-dimensional (2D) materials, based on...

The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has begun a public consultation on a harmonized classification and labeling (CLH) proposal for multi-walled carbon tubes (synthetic graphite in tubular shape) with a geometric tube diameter range ≥ 30 nanometers (nm) to < 3 micrometers (μm) and a length ≥ 5 μm and aspect ratio > 3:1, including multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWC(N)T). The dossier submitted by Germany’s Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA) states that the...

On June 26, 2019, the Council of the European Union (EU) announced that it adopted conclusions on chemicals intended to “offer political guidance on the development of a sustainable EU chemicals policy strategy.”  The June 26, 2019, press release notes that the conclusions address in particular the topics of Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) regulation, endocrine disruptors, nanomaterials, and pharmaceuticals.  According to the...

The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) have received a draft assessment of glyphosate carried out by four European Union (EU) member states and have begun to consider the findings. According to ECHA’s June 15, 2021, press release, the national authorities of France, Hungary, the Netherlands, and Sweden -- known as the Assessment Group of Glyphosate (AGG) -- examined all the evidence submitted by the companies that are seeking renewed approval to...

The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), as part of the activities of the European Union (EU) Observatory for Nanomaterials (EUON), is conducting a stakeholder survey on the substances available as nanomaterials in the EU market. The survey includes a market study of the nanomaterials, including substances, uses, volumes, and key operators in the EU. According to EUON’s May 21, 2021, news item, the survey aims to provide an overview of the substances that are available as...

The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) is in the process of updating its guidance on the information requirements and chemical safety assessment (IR&CSA) for nanoforms under the Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) regulation. ECHA has developed three appendices concerning information requirements (appendices to IR&CSA Guidance Chapters R.7a, R.7b, and R.7c) to provide advice to registrants for use when preparing REACH registration dossiers that...

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has published the latest edition of the Developments in Delegations on the Safety of Manufactured Nanomaterials — Tour de Table.  The Tour de Table compiles information provided by delegations on the occasion of the 20th meeting of the OECD Working Party on Manufactured Nanomaterials (WPMN) in September 2020.  Below are highlights from the Tour de Table: Canada: Canada is developing a nanomaterial...

On January 20, 2021, Health Care Without Harm (HCWH) Europe and 12 other health, environment, and justice organizations sent a letter to Bjorn Hansen, Executive Director of the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) “seeking clarifications on both the applicable legal framework and risk management measures in place, for nano/biocidal-treated articles in the context of the current COVID-19 pandemic.”  The letter states that “[a]s a result of laboratory tests supposedly showing...

The European Union (EU) Observatory for Nanomaterials (EUON) is conducting a web satisfaction survey.  EUON provides information on the safety, innovation, research, and uses of nanomaterials on the EU market.  It is intended for stakeholders developing policies in the area, consumers, industry representatives, and non-governmental organizations.  EUON is funded by the European Commission (EC) and hosted and maintained by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA).  Information from the survey...