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Californian regulators intend to request information on carbon nanotubes

Published: Saturday 1 November 2008

The California Department of Toxic Substance Control (DTSC) published a notice of intend for a ‘Chemical Information Call-in on Carbon Nanotubes’. The notice announces the DTSC’s intend ‘to request information regarding analytical test methods, fate and transport in the environment, and other relevant information from manufacturers of carbon nanotubes, […] [in order] to identify information gaps and to develop information about carbon nanotubes, an important emerging nanomaterial.’

According to the notice, ‘DTSC has identified an initial list of manufacturers who produce or import carbon nanotubes in California. Currently, the list includes only those manufacturers who are involved in producing or importing carbon nanotubes in their chemical form and who are located in the State of California.  The call-in list will also include companies outside California who export nanotubes into the state.’ 

DTSC will contact carbon nanotubes manufacturers with a request notice in the near future to begin ‘a collaborative, scientific dialogue with the goal of examining relevant information, identifying information gaps, and ways to address those gaps.’ DTSC wants ‘to work with manufacturers to determine what additional information needs to be developed to assist the state agency in evaluating the fate and transport of those chemicals in the relevant matrices and other key data.’ 

 
Initial questions posed to producers and importers of carbon nanotubes are:
  1. What is the value chain for your company? For example, in what products are your carbon nanotubes used by others? In what quantities? Who are your major customers (e.g., polymer industry, electronics industry, etc.)?
  2. What sampling, detection and measurement methods are you using to monitor (detect and measure) the presence of your chemical in the workplace and the environment? Provide a full description of all required sampling, detection, measurement and verification methodologies. Provide full QA/QC protocol.
  3. What is your knowledge about the current and projected presence of your chemical in the environment that results from manufacturing, distribution, use, and end-of-life disposal?
  4. What is your knowledge about the safety of your chemical in terms of occupational safety, public health and the environment?
  5. What methods are you using to protect workers in the research, development and manufacturing environment?
  6. When released, does your material constitute a Hazardous Waste under California Health & Safety Code provisions? Are discarded off-spec materials a hazardous waste? Once discarded are the carbon nanotubes you produce a hazardous waste? What are your waste handling practices for carbon nanotubes?
Comments can be submitted until the 19th December 2008.
 
Follow these links to find out more about the DTSC a ‘Chemical Information Call-in on Carbon Nanotubes’.
 
Registered NIA Members will soon be able to download additional legal comment and background information on the DTSC’s Information Call-In from the ‘Members only’-area on the NIA website (you will be notified).
 
 
Related Links
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published in the Federal Register a notice entitled ‘Toxic Substances Control Act Inventory Status of Carbon Nanotubes’, giving notice of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) requirements potentially applicable to carbon nanotubes (CNTs). (31st October 2008)
 
BASF Corporation submitted to the US Environment Protection Agency (EPA) (under Section 8(e) of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)) results of ‘A Subchronic Inhalation Study in Wistar Rats with Carbon Nano Tube’. (31st October 2008)
 
The European Commission published a regulation (COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 987/2008). This regulation follows the EC’s decision to delete both carbon (CAS No. 7440-44-0) and graphite (CAS No. 7782-42-5) from ANNEX IV of REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorization, and Restriction of Chemicals), which identifies substances that are exempted from the registration, evaluation and downstream user provisions of REACH on the basis that sufficient information is known about these substances so that they are considered to cause minimum risk because of their intrinsic properties (Article 2(7)(a)). (9th October 2008)