Toxicologists Recommend Changes to OECD Guidelines to Include Nanoparticles

Expert toxicologists from the OECD Working Party on Manufactured Nanomaterials (WPMN) have issued a report recommending that OECD guidelines be updated to better address the specific properties of manufactured nanomaterials.  The experts - about 50 scientists - met in October 2011 in the Netherlands specifically for "Inhalation Toxicity Testing for Nanomaterials" so their main focus was on inhalation toxicity.

The result was the report being issued now by OECD, which can be seen here.

The objective of the changes recommended to the inhalation toxicity guidelines was to better detect potential for harm from inhaled nanoparticles, specifically those engineered to be of nanoparticle size. Ideally the changes with assist researchers and regulators in understanding the unique properties created by the very small sizes of nanomaterials. These small sizes are especially important for inhalation exposures as they may allow materials to get further down into the lungs and possibly even cross the tissues into the bloodstream.

EPA Issues Design for the Environment Report on Li-ion Batteries and Nanotechnology

According to EPA:

EPA's Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics and Office of Research and Development (ORD) are pleased to announce that the draft final report for the life-cycle assessment (LCA) conducted by the Design for the Environment (DfE)/ORD Li-ion Batteries and Nanotechnology Partnership has been posted on EPA’s DfE Program web site for a 60-day public comment period, at http://epa.gov/dfe/pubs/projects/lbnp/index.htm.   The LCA results for advanced batteries used in plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles are expected to help promote the responsible development of these emerging energy systems, including nanotechnology innovations, leading to reduced overall environmental impacts and the reduced use and release of more toxic materials.  The LCA study identified key materials and processes within the batteries’ life cycles that are likely to pose the greatest environmental impacts, including occupational and public toxicity impacts, which will help the Li-ion battery industry to identify environmentally sound process, material, and design choices.  The partnership included battery manufacturers, suppliers, and recyclers, as well as representatives from academia, trade and research institutions, and the Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory.

 

For further information, please contact Kathy Hart in OPPT's DfE Program, at (202)564-8787, or by E-mail at: hart.kathy@epa.gov.

European Commission Will Not Seek New Legislation for Nanomaterials

At a meeting of the European Commission this week commissioners confirmed that the EU plans to deal with  nanoscale materials primarily through its REACH chemical regulation rather than develop entirely new legislation specific to nanomaterials.  Commissioners noted that creating something new was simply not feasible at this time.

The Commission will, however, work with ECHA and other regulatory bodies to develop additional guidance documents to assist stakeholders in adequately characterizing and evaluating any specific risks posed by nanoscale materials.  While most nanomaterials are nano-sized versions of existing chemicals, the small size often results in differences in key physical-chemical, fate and transport, and potentially toxicity properties.  The goal is to find a balance between the need for additional information for the risk assessment and creating a massive new regulatory burden for companies, many of whom may be small or medium sized entities.

At this point there is quite a bit of uncertainty for industry, which must deal with a regulatory system that isn't yet predictable or consistent.  Even the definition of what the regulatory bodies believe constitutes a nanomaterial is not clear. Still, industry is generally in agreement that nanomaterials should be dealt with through REACH rather than have to deal with entirely new legislation.