The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) issued a press release on October 8, 2019, reminding companies that by January 1, 2020, companies must provide more information on nanomaterials on the European Union (EU) market under the Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) regulation. The new information requirements concern companies that manufacture or import nanoforms of substances that are subject to registration under REACH. As...
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On September 19, 2019, the European Union (EU) Observatory for Nanomaterials (EUON) announced the results of a study it commissioned to examine “next generation” nanomaterials and determine whether the current terminology used in the EU chemicals regulations, as well as the implementation of the current legal requirements for identifying nanomaterials, are likely to pose technical challenges. The objectives of the study were to: Collect existing definitions of generations of...
September 19, 2019
ECHA Executive Director Authors First EUON Nanopinion Post
The European Union (EU) Observatory for Nanomaterials (EUON) has created a Nanopinion section, where it invites views from different contributors ranging from policy-makers and authorities to industry and civil society on their work and priorities related to nanomaterials on the EU market. The first item, posted on September 16, 2019, is “EUON: past, present and future,” written by Bjorn Hansen, Executive Director of the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA). As reported in our...
The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) announced on July 3, 2019, that several new features and improvements are now publicly available in its chemicals database, including new information in substance Infocards. ECHA has updated the substance Infocards with a new nanomaterial form section that shows whether the substance is placed on the European Economic Area (EEA) market in nanoform and provides links to the European Union (EU) Observatory for Nanomaterials (EUON). As...
The European Union (EU) Observatory for Nanomaterials (EUON) announced on July 3, 2019, that it has added a new search tool for nanomaterials to its website. According to EUON, it will enable regulators to form a better view of available data and give consumers access to chemicals safety information. The search tool combines data submitted by companies in their registration dossiers under the Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals...
February 15, 2019
Case Study Demonstrates Successful Application of ECHA’s Read-Across Guidance to Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes
The February 2019 issue of Computational Toxicology includes an article entitled “Grouping of multi-walled carbon nanotubes to read-across genotoxicity: A case study to evaluate the applicability of regulatory guidance.” The article describes a case study, performed by scientists at the European Commission’s (EC) Joint Research Center (JRC), to explore and illustrate read-across of genotoxicity data by following the “Recommendations for nanomaterials applicable to the Guidance on...
February 4, 2019
Stakeholders Have Opportunity to Provide Feedback on EUON
The European Union (EU) Observatory for Nanomaterials (EUON) provides information on nanomaterials to a wide audience on subjects including safety, innovation, and research. It also covers the existing EU legislation on nanomaterials and the presence and uses of specific substances on the EU market. EUON is currently conducting a survey to allow stakeholders to express their views on how EUON is performing and how it could be developed to meet their needs better. EUON is funded by the...
January 14, 2019
EUON Looks for Topic Suggestions for Future Studies on Nanomaterials
The European Union (EU) Observatory for Nanomaterials (EUON) conducts up to three studies annually. The studies are intended to address knowledge gaps relating to nanomaterials that are of interest to the general public and the research community. EUON announced on January 14, 2019, that it is now looking for topic suggestions that could be addressed in its upcoming studies. EUON is looking for studies that address: Questions relating to the health and safety of...
The European Union (EU) Observatory for Nanomaterials (EUON) announced on September 7, 2018, that a new study found gaps in the current knowledge on the hazard and risk assessment of nano-sized pigments. The study, commissioned by EUON, identified 81 nano-sized pigments currently used in the EU market. The study was done to collect publicly available information on the identified nano-sized pigments that are on the EU market. EUON states that the findings “show that the risks of...
July 18, 2018
EUON Publishes Study Identifying Key Parameters for Conducting Reliable Market Studies on Nanomaterials
On July 17, 2018, the European Union (EU) Observatory for Nanomaterials (EUON) announced the availability of a study that it commissioned, Critical review of the relevance and reliability of data sources, methods, parameters and determining factors to produce market studies on manufactured nanomaterials on the EU market. The study presents the results of a critical review of the relevance and reliability of data sources, methods, parameters, and determining factors to...
June 12, 2018
EUON Updates Website, Adds Two Searchable Databases
On June 11, 2018, the European Observatory for Nanomaterials (EUON) announced that its website now features the following two searchable databases, NanoData and eNanoMapper: NanoData: Contains data on different products, research projects, publications, patents, and companies, and helps users to visualize statistics through built-in charts and graphs. The data can also be filtered by different sectors and geographic location. The database can be used for example by...
May 24, 2018
EUON Reports on Nordic Information Campaign on REACH-Relevant Regulation for Nanomaterials
On May 23, 2018, the European Union Observatory for Nanomaterials (EUON) published an article entitled “Nordic information campaign on REACH-relevant regulation for nanomaterials.” According to EUON, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Denmark are coordinating an information campaign through the N-Nano project group of the Nordic Chemical Working Group of the Nordic Council of Ministers. The goal of the campaign is to develop a web-based tool to provide information on European Union...
The European Union Observatory for Nanomaterials (EUON) has posted the workshop report from the March 9, 2018, Stakeholder Dialogue meeting. According to the report, the annual meeting focused on providing an update on EUON and allowing stakeholders an opportunity to share their views on expectations on the future development of EUON. During his welcome address, Jukka Malm, European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), acknowledged that some stakeholders preferred a mandatory register...
March 19, 2018
New ECHA Website Includes Information on Nanomaterials
The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) announced on March 15, 2018, a new website, “Chemicals in our life.” The website is available in 23 European Union (EU) languages and “provides useful information on the benefits and risks of using chemicals and explains how the EU legislation on chemicals protects us.” In its press release, ECHA notes that the website allows users to explore parts of the EU Observatory for Nanomaterials (EUON). Several articles on nanomaterials...
February 27, 2018
EUON Issues Call for Study Topics on Nanomaterials
On February 26, 2018, the European Union (EU) Observatory for Nanomaterials (EUON) issued a call for study topics on nanomaterials. EUON states that it intends to conduct up to three studies annually to address knowledge gaps about nanomaterials on the EU market. The studies should be considered of interest for either a specific audience, such as regulators or researchers, but can also be for a wider use such as the general public. Proposals should address an...
As reported in our June 19, 2017, blog item, the European Commission (EC) published a catalog of nanomaterials used in cosmetic products on the European Union (EU) market. On February 5, 2018, the European Union Observatory for Nanomaterials (EUON) published a table linking nanomaterials listed in the catalog to their Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) registration data in the European Chemicals Agency’s (ECHA)...
December 5, 2017
RIVM Takes Critical Look at EUON
The Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) published a brochure entitled “The European Union Observatory for Nanomaterials: A step forward?” on November 30, 2017. RIVM concludes that the European Union (EU) Observatory for Nanomaterials (EUON) will have a limited contribution to reducing the uncertainty regarding the safety of nanomaterials. Although several EU Member States, including the Netherlands, supported a mandatory EU-wide registration system for...
October 25, 2017
European Trade Union Institute Publishes Policy Brief on EUON
The European Trade Union Institute (ETUI) recently published a policy brief entitled “EU Observatory for Nanomaterials: a constructive view on future regulation.” The policy brief provides information about the European Union (EU) Observatory for Nanomaterials (EUON), how it is being developed, its limitations, and “why it is not an ideal option.” According to the policy brief, the absence of risk information regarding nanomaterials in safety data sheets (SDS) “is one of the main...
June 15, 2017
ECHA Launches EU Observatory for Nanomaterials
On June 14, 2017, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) announced the launch of the European Union (EU) Observatory for Nanomaterials (EUON). ECHA states that EUON “offers a unique web-based information point with factual and neutral content about nanomaterials on the EU market.” EUON is targeted at a wide audience, including consumers, workers, regulators, and scientists. EUON provides information on uses, health and safety issues, research, regulation, and...