Nanomaterial Safety Regulations in EU’s Future?

by Brittany Tofinchio Palmer

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Germany’s Ministry of Environment has taken the initiative to develop safety measure recommendations for nanomaterials. It is urging the European Commission to adopt the recommendations as a way to identify and assess risks to the environment. Currently, nanomaterials are not heavily regulated. The Ministry’s recommendations include the following:

• Provide a definition of nanomaterials;
• Sufficiently characterize the physical and chemical elements of nanomaterials;
• Adapt risk assessments for nanomaterials;
• Provide standardized testing procedures for nanomaterials; and
• Develop nano-specific substance group approaches.

 
In addition to the above, the Ministry recommended adapting Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) to provide for nanomaterial information and notification requirements, and adapting the UN’s Globally Harmonized System to provide for applicable classification, labeling, and packaging classification criteria.