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EPA launches Public Consultation on Nanoscale Titanium Dioxide Case Studies
Published: Friday 31 July 2009
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has published a Notice of Public Comment Period for the External Review Draft document entitled ‘Nanomaterial Case Studies: Nanoscale Titanium Dioxide in Water Treatment and Topical Sunscreen’ (EPA/600/R–09/057).
According to the notice in the Federal Register (31st July 2009), ‘[t]he document was prepared by the National Center for Environmental Assessment within EPA’s Office of Research and Development. The case studies focus on two different applications of nanoscale titanium dioxide, water treatment and topical sunscreen. The document is intended to serve as a foundation for creating a long-term research strategy to provide the information needed for comprehensive environmental assessments of selected nanomaterials. It does not attempt to draw conclusions regarding potential environmental risks of nanoscale titanium dioxide, but only to identify what is known and what needs to be known to support future assessment efforts. [...]
[T]his document focuses on two specific uses of nano-TiO2, as a drinking water treatment and as topical sunscreen. These ‘‘case studies’’ do not represent completed or even preliminary assessments; rather, they present the structure for identifying and prioritizing research needed to support future assessments. The case studies follow the comprehensive environmental assessment (CEA) approach, which combines a product life-cycle framework with the risk assessment paradigm. In essence, risk assessment relates exposure and effects information for a given substance or stressor, and CEA expands on this paradigm by including life-cycle stages and considering both indirect and direct ramifications of a substance or stressor.’
Terminology & Definitions:
‘Engineered nanoscale materials (nanomaterials) are conventionally defined as having at least one dimension between 1 and 100 nanometers (nm) and unique properties that arise from their small size.’
Format of the public consultation:
According to the Case Studies’ announcement on the EPA’s website, ‘[r]eaders are encouraged to consider the questions listed throughout the document and offer specific comments on how individual questions, or research needs, might be better expressed. If additional questions should be included or if information is already available to address some of the questions posed here, readers are also encouraged to provide such comments as well. These and other comments should be submitted as explained below under Additional Information.’
The 45-day public comment period begins on the 31st July 2009, and ends on the 14th September 2009.
Follow these links to read the full notice (Federal Register, 31st July 2009.), to download the External Review Draft, or to find out more about EPA’s Nanomaterial Case Studies: Nanoscale Titanium Dioxide.
NOTE: Case Studies of nano-TiO2 will also be discussed at the OECD SG6 Workshop on ‘Global Developments in Risk Assessment Issues’ (to be held on the 16th to 18th September 2009 in Washington, D.C., U.S.) and the 3rd Nanotechnology ‘Safety-for-Success’-Dialogue (to be held on the 3rd and 4th November 2009 in Brussels, Belgium).
Registered NIA Members can find out more by down loading the NIA Weekly Issues Update (1/2009 & 2/2009) from the ‘Members Only’-area on the NIA website (go to ‘NIA Weekly’).