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EXCLUSIVE Documents now available on the NIA website

Published: Thursday 20 November 2008

Registered members can now download the following exclusive documents (i.e. Meeting Presentations, Meeting Notes, etc.), recently uploaded onto the secure ‘Members-only’ area of the NIA website (access the ‘Members only’-area here).

 

Topical Briefings

This page provides members with reviews and exclusive information on topical issues.

17th November 2008
EPA Threatens Enforcement against Manufacturers of Carbon Nanotubes and Enacts Significant New Use Rules for Two Other Nanoparticles 

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently published two Federal Register notices concerning the regulation of nanomaterials under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), 15 U.S.C. §§ 2601-2692.

In the first notice, EPA clarified the TSCA Inventory status of carbon nanotubes (CNTs), explaining to manufacturers and importers that many CNTs may be “new” chemicals under TSCA subject to the premanufacture notice (PMN) requirements. This first notice warns that the agency may soon begin to initiate enforcement actions against persons in violation of the PMN provisions.

In the second notice, EPA enacted significant new use rules (SNURs) for two different siloxane-modified nanoparticles, representing the agency’s first nanotechnology-specific regulations and potentially signaling more aggressive regulation of nanomaterials in the future.

Registered NIA Members can download additional legal comment and background information on both EPA publications.
(we are grateful to the nanotech team at Beveridge&Diamond P.C. for providing this briefing to NIA Members)

 

Restricted Documents & Publications

This page allows access to selected documents and publications, made available by third parties for use by NIA Members only. 

19th November 2008
NIA: No support for mandatory reporting of manufactured nanomaterials

The latest of ENDS Report features and article on the recently launched report on ‘Novel Materials in the Environment: The case of nanotechnology’’ by the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution (RCEP).

Sir John Lawton, chair of the commission, told ENDS that ‘the proposed compulsory checklist should replace the “pathetic” voluntary reporting scheme introduced by the Environment Department (DEFRA). Launched in 2006, the scheme has received only 11 submissions and seems to have satisfied no one (ENDS Report 403, p 30).’

‘Consumer group Which? among others has called for it to be mandatory, while the Nanotechnology Industries Association (NIA) has argued the reporting requirements are too complex and time consuming. NIA director Steffi Friedrichs said her organisation “does not support a mandatory reporting scheme”.’
 
Registered Members of the NIA can download a copy of the relevant ENDS Report article. 

  

5th November 2008

The UK consumers association WHICH? published a report entitled ‘Small wonder? Nanotechnology and cosmetics’. The report is based on the findings of a survey of 67 cosmetics companies, which asked the companies about their use of nanotechnology, what benefits they thought it brought and how they ensured product safety.

According to WHICH?, the response was poor, with only 17 getting back to the association, and of these, just eight were willing to provide information about how they use nanotechnology. However, even the limited number of responses received by WHICH? made the association conclude that there ‘widespread use of nano materials in cosmetics, particularly in sunscreens.’
 
The association made the following recommendations:
  • the Government should require companies to report their use of manufactured nano materials
  • potentially unsafe products should be removed from sale (ie. effectively enforce the current Cosmetics Directive)
  • an independent expert group should be established to advise the Government on the risks and benefits of nano sunscreens
  • the new EU Cosmetics Regulation should include a positive list of manufactured nano materials that are permitted to be used in cosmetic products based on an independent safety assessment
  • clear information should be provided to consumers about the use of nano materials in cosmetic products, as well as nanotechnology more broadly.

Follow this links to download the full WHICH? report ‘Small wonder? Nanotechnology and cosmetics’.