Nanomaterials under the new European Cosmetics Regulation – NIA helps clarifying the Requirements and Consequences
Released on Thursday 4th February 2010
In a joint Correspondence to the Editor of the journal Nature Nanotechnology (February 2010, Volume 5 No 2), Diana M Bowman[1], Geert van Calster[2], and Steffi Friedrichs[3] summarise last year’s passing of the first nano-specific legislation: the European Union’s new regulation on cosmetic products. Entitled ‘Nanomaterials and Regulation of Cosmetics’, the correspondence highlights the political and economical significance of this novel regulation and outlines the specific requirements that industries need to address, in order to comply with the regulation. ‘The adoption of this regulation is significant, not least because it is the first piece of national or supranational legislation to incorporate rules relating specifically to the use of nanomaterials in any products,’ the correspondence notes.
Follow these links to find out more about the European Union’s new regulation on cosmetics products, or to read the full ‘Correspondence to the Editor’ (doi:10.1038/nnano.2010.12; subscriber sonly).
Related Links:
In an interview with the German business magazine Wirtschaftswoche (WiWo) (14th January 2010), Dr Steffi Friedrichs, Director General of the Nanotechnology Industries Association (NIA), warns of the potentially negative effects resulting from ill-designed product labels: ‘if the ‘nano’-label is placed on the front of a product pack, it would turn into a ‘warning-label’, she comments on the draft recast of the ‘Novel Foods’ regulation. (14th January 2010)
The European Union Council approved the updated European Cosmetics Regulation, agreeing with the text (on nanomaterials) adopted by the European Parliament in March 2009. The approved text requires the manufacturers of new cosmetic products containing nanomaterials to notify the European Commission (EC) and provide certain information six months before the product is placed on the European market. (30th November 2009)
The European Commission has published Notes of the 1st Meeting and the 2nd Meeting of the newly established Working Group on 'Nanomaterials in Cosmetic Products' , a new ‘Cross Scientific Committee’- Working Group advising the European Commission in risk assessment issues on nanomaterials (in cosmetics).* (2nd August 2009)
The European Commission’s Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) has received a Request for a scientific opinion: Titanium Dioxide (CAS 13463-67-7, EC 236-675-5). (19th June 2009)
[1] School for Population Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia.
[2] Department of International and European Law, KU Leuven, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium.
[3] Nanotechnology Industries Association, Square de Meeûs 38-40, 1000 Brussels, Belgium.