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Posted on August 20, 2009 by Lynn L. Bergeson
The August 2009 issue of Nature Nanotechnology includes an article entitled “Essential Features for Proactive Risk Management,” written by Vladimir Murashov, Ph.D., Special Assistant to the Director of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), and John Howard, M.D., former NIOSH Director. The authors “propose a proactive approach to the management of occupational health risks in emerging technologies based on six features: qualitative risk assessment; the ability to adapt strategies and refine requirements; an appropriate level of precaution; global applicability; the ability to elicit voluntary cooperation by companies; and stakeholder involvement.”
Tags: NIOSH, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Occupational Health and Safety Issues
Posted on August 19, 2009 by Lynn L. Bergeson
The September 2009 issue of the European Respiratory Journal will contain a study entitled “Exposure to nanoparticles is related to pleural effusion, pulmonary fibrosis and granuloma.” The study examines the relationship between a group of workers presenting with “mysterious” symptomatic findings and their nanoparticle exposure. The authors conducted surveys of the workplace, made clinical observations, and examined the patients -- seven young female workers (aged 18 to 47 years), exposed to nanoparticles for five to 13 months, all with shortness of breath and pleural effusions. According to the study abstract, polyacrylate, consisting of nanoparticles, was confirmed in the workplace. Using transmission electron microscopy, nanoparticles were observed to lodge in the cytoplasm and caryoplasm of pulmonary epithelial and mesothelial cells, but are also located in the chest fluid. The authors state that these cases “arouse concern that long-term exposure to some nanoparticles without protective measures may be related to serious damage to human lungs.” The study is not yet available on the European Respiratory Journal website.
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Tags: Occupational Health and Safety Issues, PEN, Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies, Research
Posted on August 18, 2009 by Lynn L. Bergeson
According to its website, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has joined the International Journal of Occupational and Environmental Health in inviting submission of scientific papers for a special issue of the Journal. The special edition is provisionally entitled “Human and Environmental Exposure Assessment for Nanomaterials,” and will be edited by Vladimir Murashov, Ph.D., a special assistant to the NIOSH Director. Submissions are due January 15, 2010. More information about submission requirements can be found on the Journal’s website.
Tags: Federal, NIOSH, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Occupational Health and Safety Issues
Posted on July 28, 2009 by Lynn L. Bergeson
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has posted a link to an article entitled “National Nanotechnology Partnership to Protect Workers,” which proposes the creation of a National Nanotechnology Partnership led by NIOSH. The article, posted online on July 7, 2009, by the Journal of Nanoparticle Research, suggests the partnership be a collaboration of government agencies, manufacturers, users, and others. The authors are John Howard, M.D. former NIOSH Director, and Vladimir Murashov, Ph.D., NIOSH.
Tags: Federal, NIOSH, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Occupational Health and Safety Issues, United States
Posted on July 27, 2009 by Lynn L. Bergeson
On July 15, 2009, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) announced plans to hold a conference entitled “Nanomaterials and Worker Health: Occupational Health Surveillance, Exposure Registries, and Epidemiological Research.” The conference is intended to identify gaps in information about potential occupational health effects of nanomaterials, as well as address questions related to occupational health and safety.
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Tags: Federal, NIOSH, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Occupational Health and Safety Issues, United States
Posted on June 29, 2009 by Lynn L. Bergeson
The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) announced June 19, 2009, the publication of the Literature Review -- Workplace Exposure to Nanoparticles, which reviews the most recent publications on nanoparticles and focuses on the possible adverse health effects of workplace exposure. The report focuses on the possible adverse health effects of workplace exposure to engineered nanomaterials and possible subsequent activities taken to manage the risk. The report does not include nanomaterials originating from natural sources, as well as non-intended nanoscale by-products, such as diesel engine exhaust, and welding fumes. To provide a broad overview, EU-OSHA collected information from different sources, such as scientific literature, policy documents, legislation, and work programs. EU-OSHA gave priority to documents from the European Union (EU), although national and international activities are also described. The report considers studies published up to November 2008. The report identifies the following topics as priorities for future actions and activities:
- Identification of nanomaterials and description of exposure;
- Measurement of exposures to nanomaterials and efficacy of protective measures;
- Risk assessment of nanomaterials in line with the current statutory framework;
- In vivo studies for assessment of the health effects of nanomaterials;
- Validation of the in vitro methods and methods of physico-chemical properties as methods to determine health effects; and
- Training of workers and practical handling guidelines for activities involving nanomaterials in the workplace.
Tags: EU, EU-OSHA, European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, European Union, International, Occupational Health and Safety Issues
Posted on April 15, 2009 by Lynn L. Bergeson
On April 14, 2009, the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) issued a press release entitled “Nanotech Poses Possible Health and Safety Risk to Workers and Needs Regulation.” According to ACTU, “[t]he rapidly growing nanotechnology market in Australia requires urgent regulation to protect the health and safety of workers and consumers.” ACTU notes that, currently, there is no mandatory register in Australia of who is importing, manufacturing, supplying, or selling nanomaterials, and no requirement to label products.
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Tags: ACTU, Australian Council of Trade Unions, International, NICNAS, National Industrial Chemicals and Notification and Assessment Scheme, Occupational Health and Safety Issues
Posted on April 10, 2009 by Lynn L. Bergeson
On April 8, 2009, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) published a Federal Register notice announcing that it “intends to evaluate the scientific data on carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and develop appropriate communication documents, such as an Alert and/or Current Intelligence Bulletin [CIB], which will convey the potential health risks and recommend measures for the safe handling of these materials.” CIBs are issued by NIOSH “to disseminate new scientific information about occupational hazards. A CIB may draw attention to a previously unrecognized hazard, report new data on a known hazard, or disseminate information on hazard control.”
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Tags: CIB, CNT, Current Intelligence Bulletin, Federal, NIOSH, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Occupational Health and Safety Issues, United States, carbon nanotube
Posted on April 6, 2009 by Lynn L. Bergeson
On March 18, 2009, the European Union’s European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) announced the results of a report entitled Expert Forecast on Emerging Chemical Risks Related to Occupational Safety And Health. According to the Agency, “[c]ontact with a wide range of chemicals and other hazardous substances at work is endangering the health of workers across Europe, and nanotechnology is one of the risks causing most concern to experts from 21 European countries.” The report identifies the main groups of substances that could pose new and increasing risks to workers, contributing to diseases ranging from allergies, asthma, and infertility to cancer.
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Tags: EU-OSHA, European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, International, NP, Occupational Health and Safety Issues, nanoparticle
Posted on April 2, 2009 by Lynn L. Bergeson
On March 30, 2009, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) posted a document entitled Approaches to Safe Nanotechnology: Managing the Health and Safety Concerns Associated with Engineered Nanomaterials. The document reviews what is currently known about nanoparticle toxicity, process emissions and exposure assessment, engineering controls, and personal protective equipment. NIOSH released a draft version of the document for comment in October 2005, and then released a revised and updated version for additional comment in July 2006. According to NIOSH, the final version of this document “incorporates some of the latest results of NIOSH research, but it is only a starting point.” NIOSH states that the document serves a dual purpose: it is a summary of NIOSH’s current thinking and interim recommendations; and it is a request from NIOSH to occupational safety and health practitioners, researchers, product innovators and manufacturers, employers, workers, interest group members, and the general public to exchange information that will ensure that no worker suffers material impairment of safety or health as nanotechnology develops.
Tags: Federal, NIOSH, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Occupational Health and Safety Issues, United States
Posted on March 11, 2009 by Lynn L. Bergeson
On March 6, 2009, the United Kingdom (UK) Health and Safety Executive (HSE) published an information sheet on the risk management of carbon nanotubes (CNT). According to HSE, the information sheet “is specifically about the manufacture and manipulation of carbon nanotubes and has been prepared in response to emerging evidence about the toxicology of these materials. However, the risk management principles detailed here are equally applicable to other nanodimensioned bio-persistent fibres with a similar aspect ratio.” HSE cites as “new evidence” a recent study by the University of Edinburgh, which “found that long, straight [multi-walled CNTs] with a high aspect ratio produced a marked inflammatory reaction and the formation of granulomas when injected into the abdominal cavity of mice.”
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Tags: CNT, EU Member State, HSE, Health and Safety Executive, International, Legal/Regulatory Issues, Occupational Health and Safety Issues, UK, United Kingdom, carbon nanotube
Posted on March 5, 2009 by Lynn L. Bergeson
According to a February 27, 2009, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Update entitled “Issues in Developing Worker Epidemiological Studies Related to Engineered Nanoparticles Are Discussed in Paper,” NIOSH scientists and a colleague from Emory University have prepared a paper concerning issues that researchers will need to consider in designing sound epidemiological studies of workers who may be exposed to engineered nanoparticles in the manufacturing and commercial use of nanomaterials. According to the authors, even though the fundamental principles of epidemiology can be applied to engineered nanoparticles, researchers will face challenges typically not encountered in studies involving traditional materials. These challenges relate to the unique characteristics and properties of engineered nanomaterials, the relative newness of nanotechnology, and the fact that nanotechnology is not an industry in itself, but a process that may involve different industry sectors and occupational groups. The factors that would influence the design of an epidemiological study include:
- Heterogeneity (the chemical and physical diversity of engineered nanoparticles);
- Temporal factors (the challenge that nanotechnology, generally, has not been in use for the length of time it may take for some diseases to become apparent);
- Disease endpoints (determining what diseases or symptoms to look for on the basis of limited research evidence);
- Exposure characterization (determining what to measure and how to measure it); and
- Study population (finding a group of workers for a study who have been exposed to the same type of engineered nanoparticle at levels high enough and for a long enough time to provide scientifically reliable and comparable results).
The paper will be published by the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.
Tags: Federal, NIOSH, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Occupational Health and Safety Issues, United States
Posted on February 18, 2009 by Lynn L. Bergeson
On February 13, 2009, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) announced the availability of “Current Intelligence Bulletin 60: Interim Guidance for the Medical Screening and Hazard Surveillance for Workers Potentially Exposed to Engineered Nanoparticles.” NIOSH offers the following recommendations for workplaces where workers may be exposed to engineered nanoparticles in the course of their work:
- Take prudent measures to control exposures to engineered nanoparticles;
- Conduct hazard surveillance as the basis for implementing controls; and
- Continue use of established medical surveillance approaches.
According to NIOSH, its recommendations respond to ongoing interest by employers and other stakeholders in having authoritative occupational safety and health guidance in the manufacturing and industrial use of engineered nanomaterials. NIOSH states that its recommendations also reflect its ongoing leadership in providing such interim scientific guidance as research progresses for determining whether engineered nanomaterials pose risks for adverse occupational health effects.
Tags: Federal, Occupational Health and Safety Issues, United States
Posted on February 5, 2009 by Lynn L. Bergeson
On April 2, 2009, NanoCap and the European Parliament (EP) will hold a conference entitled “Working and Living with Nanotechnologies: Trade Union and NGO positions.” The conference objectives are to present positions and perspectives on nanotechnologies at the workplace and in the environment adopted by European trade unions and environmental non-governmental organizations (NGO), including:
- Setting priorities for the responsible development of nanotechnologies, especially regarding environmental and workplace safety;
- Exchanging views with nanotechnologies stakeholders and policymakers;
- Establishing pathways for implementing the precautionary approach; and
- Presenting a nanoethics portfolio.
Tags: EP, European Parliament, International, NGO, Occupational Health and Safety Issues, Other, non-governmental organization
Posted on September 25, 2008 by Lynn L. Bergeson
On September 18, 2008, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that, to ensure nanotechnology is developed in a responsible manner, the National Science Foundation (NSF) and EPA awarded $38 million to establish two Centers for the Environmental Implications of Nanotechnology (CEIN). EPA contributed $5 million to the overall award, which is the largest award for nanotechnology research in its history. The CEINs will conduct research on the possible environmental, health, and safety impacts of nanomaterials, using very different approaches than previous studies. Led by the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) and Duke University, the CEINs will study how nanomaterials interact with the environment and human health, and are intended to result in better risk assessment and mitigation strategies to be used in the commercial development of nanotechnology. Each CEIN will work as a network, connected to multiple research organizations, industry, and government agencies, and will emphasize interdisciplinary research and education.
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Tags: CEIN, Center for the Environmental Implications of Nanotechnology, EPA, Environmental Issues, Federal, NSF, National Science Foundation, Occupational Health and Safety Issues, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, UCLA, United States, University of California at Los Angeles
Posted on September 5, 2008 by Lynn L. Bergeson
In its latest Background Paper, entitled Mounting Evidence That Carbon Nanotubes May Be the New Asbestos, Friends of the Earth Australia (FOEA) is calling “for an immediate moratorium on the commercial use of carbon nanotubes and the sale of products that incorporate nanotubes until research can demonstrate whether or not there is any safe level of exposure to them.” FOEA also is calling for new nanotechnology-specific regulation to protect human health and the environment, as well as for mandatory labeling of all nanoscale materials used in the workplace and in consumer products.
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Tags: Environmental Issues, Environmental, Health, and Safety, FOEA, Friends of the Earth, International, Legal/Regulatory Issues, Occupational Health and Safety Issues, carbon nanotubes
Posted on August 2, 2008 by Lynn L. Bergeson
On July 28, 2008, the City Council of Cambridge, Massachusetts voted to accept a set of recommendations for a municipal health and safety policy on nanomaterials. The recommendations were set forth in a report prepared by the Cambridge Public Health Department (CPHD) and the Cambridge Nanomaterials Advisory Committee (CNAC). Cambridge now becomes the second city in the United States -- Berkeley, California is the other -- to have taken municipal action on nanomaterials. Continue Reading...
Tags: Berkeley, CNAC, CPHD, Cambridge, Environmental, Health, and Safety, Legal/Regulatory Issues, Local, Occupational Health and Safety Issues, United States
Posted on August 1, 2008 by Lynn L. Bergeson
We are pleased to announce that CRC Press has published Nanotechnology and the Environment, which Lynn L. Bergeson co-authored. Nanotechnology and the Environment includes a general explanation of nanomaterials, their properties, and their uses; describes the processes used to manufacture nanoscale materials; furnishes information on the analysis of nanomaterials in the environment and their fate and transport, including the effects of wastewater treatment on nanomaterials; discusses possible risks to human health and the environment; and describes developing regulations to manage those risks. Continue Reading...
Tags: Environmental Issues, International, Legal/Regulatory Issues, Occupational Health and Safety Issues, United States
Posted on July 18, 2008 by Lynn L. Bergeson
On July 17, 2007, Senators Daniel K. Inouye (D-HI), Chair of the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, John Kerry (D-MA), Olympia Snowe (R-ME), Ted Stevens (R-AK), Mark Pryor (D-AR) and Gordon Smith (R-OR) introduced the National Nanotechnology Initiative Amendments Act of 2008. The bill would reauthorize the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) and amend aspects of the program to prioritize better research and development activities. Continue Reading...
Tags: EHS, Environmental Issues, Environmental, Health, and Safety, Federal, Legal/Regulatory Issues, NNCO, NNI, National Nanotechnology Coordination Office, National Nanotechnology Initiative, Occupational Health and Safety Issues, United States
Posted on July 7, 2008 by Lynn L. Bergeson
On June 26, 2008, the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) passed a resolution on nanotechnologies and nanomaterials, which calls for the application of the precautionary principle. The resolution states that application of the precautionary principle is necessary to avoid “past mistakes [made] with putatively ‘miracle’ technologies and materials. According to ETUC, the number of workers coming into contact with nanomaterials will increase sharply as nanotechnologies are applied to difference industry sectors, including the chemical, pharmaceutical, and electronics industries. The ETUC urges the European Commission (EC) to amend the Registration, Evaluation, Authorization, and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) regulation “so as to give better and wider coverage to all potentially manufacturable nanomaterials.” Because nanomaterials are manufactured or imported below the threshold of one tonne per year and may evade the REACH registration requirements, “ETUC demands that different thresholds and/or units (e.g., surface area per volume) are used for registration of nanomaterials under REACH.” Continue Reading...
Tags: EC, ETUC, European Commission, European Trade Union Confederation, International, Legal/Regulatory Issues, Occupational Health and Safety Issues, REACH, Registration, Evaluation, Authorization, and Restriction of Chemicals
Posted on May 23, 2008 by Lynn L. Bergeson
On May 20, 2008, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) posted an entry on its science blog entitled “Nanotechnology: Should carbon nanotubes be handled in the workplace like asbestos?” The entry was prompted by the release of two recent reports contributing to the carbon nanotube/asbestos fiber comparison debate. The entry asks what the implications are to the risk assessment and risk management of carbon nanotubes in U.S. workplaces, and states:
However, questions have been raised about using these research findings for risk assessment analysis in the light of study limitations such as use of model animals, artificial administration methods, and sometimes extremely high doses, which are not representative of those exposures usually present in the workplace environment. Such limitations are not unusual for pioneering scientific studies. They simply mean that at this stage of the research, gaps remain that need to be closed by further study before quantitative risk assessment can be conducted.
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Tags: Federal, NIOSH, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Occupational Health and Safety Issues, United States
Posted on May 20, 2008 by Lynn L. Bergeson
On May 16, 2008, EHP-in-Press posted an article entitled “Raw Single-Wall Carbon Nanotubes Induce Oxidative Stress and Activate MAPKs, AP-1, NF-κB, and Akt in Normal and Malignant Human Mesothelial Cells.” According to the article, the unique physicochemical and mechanical properties of single-wall carbon nanotubes have many potential new applications in medicine and industrial uses. The article states that exposure to single-wall carbon nanotubes induced generation of reactive oxygen species, increased cell death, enhanced DNA damage, H2AX phosphorylation, and activated poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase, activator protein-1, nuclear factor kappa B, protein p38, and protein serine-threonine kinase in a dose-dependent manner. The article concludes that the cellular and molecular findings reported suggest that single-wall carbon nanotubes “can cause potentially adverse cellular responses in mesothelial cells through activation of molecular signaling associated with oxidative stress, which is of sufficient significance to warrant in vivo animal exposure studies.” EHP-in-Press articles have been peer reviewed and accepted for publication in Environmental Health Perspectives.
Tags: Occupational Health and Safety Issues, United States
Posted on April 29, 2008 by Lynn L. Bergeson
On April 24, 2008, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report entitled Nanotechnology: Accuracy of Data on Federally Funded Environmental, Health, and Safety Research Could Be Improved, which contains the testimony of Robert A. Robinson, Managing Director, Natural Resources and Environment, before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation Subcommittee on Science, Technology, and Innovation. Robinson provided a summary of GAO’s findings as reported in its March 31, 2008, report entitled Nanotechnology: Better Guidance Is Needed to Ensure Accurate Reporting of Federal Research Focused on Environmental, Health, and Safety Risks. GAO was asked to focus on: (1) the extent to which selected agencies conducted environmental, health, and safety (EHS) research in fiscal year (FY) 2006; (2) the reasonableness of the agencies’ and the National Nanotechnology Initiative’s (NNI) processes to identify and prioritize EHS research; and (3) the effectiveness of the agencies’ and the NNI’s process to coordinate EHS research. Continue Reading...
Tags: EHS, Environmental Issues, Environmental, Health, and Safety, Federal, GAO, Legal/Regulatory Issues, NEHI, NNI, Nanotechnology Environmental and Health Implications, National Nanotechnology Initiative, OSTP, Occupational Health and Safety Issues, Office of Science and Technology Policy, U.S. Government Accountability Office, United States
Posted on April 18, 2008 by Lynn L. Bergeson
On March 11, 2008, the German Chemical Industry Association (VCI) released a report entitled Responsible Production and Use of Nanomaterials, which is a series of documents intended to provide guidance on all aspects of a good product stewardship on nanomaterials. The documents include joint papers prepared by VCI and the German Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA) and the German Society for Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology (DECHEMA). The report includes the following documents:
Principles Document:
- Implementing Responsible Care® for a Responsible Production and Use of Nanomaterials
Regulatory Documents:
- Requirements of the REACH Regulation on Substances Which Are Manufactured or Imported also as Nanomaterials
- Guidance for a Tiered Gathering of Hazard Information for the Risk Assessment of Nanomaterials
- Guidance for Handling and Use of Nanomaterials at the Workplace
- Guidance for the Passing on of Information along the Supply Chain in the Handling of Nanomaterials via Safety Data Sheets
- Strategy Paper of the German Chemical Industry on the Standardization of Nanomaterials
Documents on Safety Research:
- Roadmap for Safety Research on Nanomaterials
- Environmental Aspects of Nanoparticles
Tags: BAuA, DECHEMA, EU Member State, Environmental Issues, German Chemical Industry Association, German Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, German Society for Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, International, Legal/Regulatory Issues, Occupational Health and Safety Issues, REACH, VCI
Posted on April 11, 2008 by Lynn L. Bergeson
On April 9, 2008, the Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies (PEN) released a report entitled Room at the Bottom? Potential State and Local Strategies for Managing the Risks and Benefits of Nanotechnology. According to the report, because of the slow pace of federal action to regulate development of nanotechnology, “there is ‘room at the bottom’ for state and local governments to move forward in pursuing regulatory and other oversight options.” Research for the report identified a number of states with laws promoting the nanotechnology industry or other initiatives encouraging research and development on nanotechnology applications. The report states that each of the 50 states is “home to at least one company, university, government laboratory, or other type of organization working with nanomaterials.” Continue Reading...
Tags: EPA, Environmental Issues, Legal/Regulatory Issues, Local, OSHA, Occupational Health and Safety Administration, Occupational Health and Safety Issues, PEN, Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies, State, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, United States
Posted on April 9, 2008 by Lynn L. Bergeson
On March 26, 2008, EHP-in-Press posted an article entitled “Recirculating Air Filtration Significantly Reduces Exposure to Airborne Nanoparticles.” The authors investigated the effectiveness of recirculating air filtration to reduce exposure to incidental and intentionally produced airborne nanoparticles while driving in traffic, and while generating nanomaterials using gas-phase synthesis. The authors state that “use of inexpensive low-efficiency filters in recirculation systems is shown to reduce nanoparticle concentrations to below levels found in a typical office within three minutes while driving through heavy traffic, and within twenty minutes in a simulated nanomaterial production facility.”
Tags: Occupational Health and Safety Issues
Posted on April 4, 2008 by Lynn L. Bergeson
On March 25, 2008, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) posted fact sheets regarding several initiatives for which it seeks participants. NIOSH states that the initiatives are fully funded by NIOSH, and there is no monetary cost to the participant. The first two fact sheets concern NIOSH’s Nanotechnology Field Research Team, which is available to conduct site visits at facilities involved in the research, manufacture, or use of various types of nanomaterials. The third fact sheet describes NIOSH’s metal oxide particle exposure assessment study, for which NIOSH seeks manufacturers and end-users of fine and ultrafine metal oxides. Continue Reading...
Tags: Federal, Legal/Regulatory Issues, NIOSH, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Occupational Health and Safety Issues, United States
Posted on March 24, 2008 by Lynn L. Bergeson
DuPont and Environmental Defense (ED) will hold two interactive workshops on nano risk management. The workshops are intended to give participants the tools they need to:
- Understand (and explain to others) why nano-specific risk management is necessary;
- Assemble and leverage the internal and external resources to implement nano-specific risk management; and
- Begin implementing nano-specific risk management in an efficient and effective manner.
The workshops will include:
- Interactive discussions of how to implement nano-specific risk management;
- Case studies of nano-specific risk management in use by companies and governments; and
- Sources of additional help for companies adopting these approaches.
The first workshop will be held April 2, 2008, at the Sustainable Packaging Coalition in San Francisco, California. A second workshop will be held April 8, 2008, at the Toxics Use Reduction Institute in Boston, Massachusetts.
Tags: ED, Environmental Defense, Legal/Regulatory Issues, Occupational Health and Safety Issues, United States
Posted on March 11, 2008 by Lynn L. Bergeson
Last week the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) requested comments on its Strategic Plan for NIOSH Nanotechnology Research and Guidance: Filling the Knowledge Gaps (Strategic Plan). NIOSH intends the Strategic Plan “to provide a tool for coordinating nanotechnology research across the Institute and to provide a guide for enhancing the development of new research efforts that will respond to the challenges of working with a new technology.” According to NIOSH, the Strategic Plan “represents a cohesive, multidimensional, and timely research agenda for addressing knowledge gaps concerning possible worker exposures to nanomaterials, the health risks from such exposure, and development of control technology and prevention measures.” Comments are due June 1, 2008. Continue Reading...
Tags: Federal, Legal/Regulatory Issues, NIOSH, NTRC, Nanotechnology Research Center, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Occupational Health and Safety Issues, Strategic Plan, United States
Posted on March 3, 2008 by Lynn L. Bergeson
On February 29, 2008, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) announced the availability of a brochure entitled “Safe Nanotechnology in the Workplace: An Introduction for Employers, Managers, and Safety and Health Professionals.” The brochure addresses the following questions: whether nanoparticles are hazardous to workers; how workers can be exposed; whether nanoparticles can be measured; and whether worker exposures can be controlled. The brochure states that little information is available about the hazards of nanoparticles in the workplace, and that NIOSH is conducting research to determine whether they pose a health threat to exposed workers. According to the brochure, workers may be exposed by three routes: inhalation (the most common); ingestion; and skin. Traditional industrial hygiene sampling methods can be used to measure airborne nanoparticles, and scientists are developing more sensitive and specific sampling techniques. The brochure states that worker exposures can be controlled with engineering controls, respirators, and training.
Tags: Federal, NIOSH, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Occupational Health and Safety Issues, United States
Posted on January 11, 2008 by Lynn L. Bergeson
Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. is pleased to announce that Lynn L. Bergeson and Ira Dassa published an article appearing in the Fall 2007 issue of Sustainable Development Law and Policy. The article discusses several issues in connection with the application of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) to engineered nanoscale materials.
Tags: Articles, Environmental Issues, Federal, Legal/Regulatory Issues, Occupational Health and Safety Issues, TSCA, Toxic Substances Control Act, United States
Posted on January 8, 2008 by Lynn L. Bergeson
On 3 January 2008, Lloyd’s released a report entitled Nanotechnology: Recent Developments, Risks and Opportunities, which examines the potential risks and opportunities in the emerging field of nanotechnology. Lloyd’s states that nanotechnology “promises to improve many industries including medicine, food technology, textiles, materials, cosmetics, defence and more, but the risks are still not fully understood.” Continue Reading...
Tags: EU, EU Member State, Environmental Issues, European Union, International, Legal/Regulatory Issues, Lloyd's, OECD, Occupational Health and Safety Issues, Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development
Posted on January 7, 2008 by Lynn L. Bergeson
On January 2, 2008, the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) released its Strategic Plan, which describes NNI’s investment strategy and the program component areas called for by the 21st Century Nanotechnology Research and Development Act of 2003. Under the Act, NNI must update its Strategic Plan every three years, and this plan updates and replaces the December 2004 plan. The Strategic Plan outlines the goals and priorities of NNI and describes approaches for achieving them. NNI states that the Plan supports “leading edge research, sustains the extensive infrastructure of facilities, seeks to facilitate technology transfer, and addresses environmental, health, and societal concerns.”
Tags: 'National, Environmental Issues, Federal, Initiative", Legal/Regulatory Issues, NNI, Nanotechnology, Occupational Health and Safety Issues, United States
Posted on December 27, 2007 by Lynn L. Bergeson
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) December 10, 2007, Unified Agenda includes a notice regarding the Nanoscale Materials Stewardship Program (NMSP), which is a voluntary program that EPA established to assemble existing data and information from manufacturers and processors of certain nanoscale materials. The notice states that, under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), EPA has the authority to require the development of data necessary for risk assessment when statutory findings concerning (1) production volume and exposure/entry into the environment or (2) potential hazard can be made, and to prevent and eliminate unreasonable risk of injury to human health and the environment. On July 12, 2007, EPA announced the availability of an NMSP concept paper, a proposed information collection request (ICR), and a paper that describes determining the TSCA Inventory status of nanoscale materials. According to the Unified Agenda notice, EPA intends to publish in February 2008 a final NMSP notice, including final versions of any documents.
Tags: EPA, Environmental Issues, Environmental Protection Agency, Federal, ICR, Information Collection Request, Legal/Regulatory Issues, NMSP, Nanoscale Materials Stewardship Program, Occupational Health and Safety Issues, TSCA, Toxic Substances Control Act, United States
Posted on December 17, 2007 by Lynn L. Bergeson
On December 12, 2007, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) announced the availability of the draft Current Intelligence Bulletin (CIB) entitled “Interim Guidance on Medical Screening of Workers Potentially Exposed to Engineered Nanoparticles.” NIOSH will hold a public meeting on the draft CIB on January 30, 2008. The meeting will include scientists and representatives from various government agencies, industry, labor, and other stakeholders, and is open to the public, limited only by the space available. Because the meeting room accommodates only 80 people, NIOSH must receive notification of intent to attend the meeting no later than January 18, 2008. Persons wanting to provide oral comments at the meeting are requested to notify NIOSH no later than January 11, 2008. NIOSH will give priority for attendance to those providing oral comments. NIOSH will then accommodate other requests to attend the meeting on a first-come basis. Comments on the draft CIB are due February 15, 2008. Continue Reading...
Tags: CIB, Current Intelligence Bulletin, Federal, Legal/Regulatory Issues, NIOSH, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Occupational Health and Safety Issues, United States
Posted on December 7, 2007 by Lynn L. Bergeson
On December 4, 2007, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) posted a notice entitled “Testing a Representative Set of Nanomaterials -- The Launch of a Sponsorship Programme.” OECD states that its Working Party on Manufactured Nanomaterials has launched a sponsorship program in which countries will share the testing of specific nanomaterials. According to OECD, valuable information on the safety of manufactured nanomaterials can be derived by testing a representative set for human health and environmental safety. In launching the sponsorship program, the Working Party agreed to a priority list of manufactured nanomaterials for testing, based on materials which are in or close to commerce, as well as a list of endpoints for which they should be tested. OECD intends to make regular updates on this program.
Tags: Environmental Issues, International, OECD, Occupational Health and Safety Issues, Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development
Posted on November 16, 2007 by Lynn L. Bergeson
On November 8, 2007, the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) and the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) issued a memorandum regarding “Principles for Nanotechnology Environmental, Health, and Safety Oversight.” According to the memorandum, OSTP and CEQ “led a multi-agency consensus-based process” to develop principles intended to guide the development and implementation of policies for nanotechnology environmental, health, and safety oversight at the agency level. The memorandum says that federal agencies such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) “must implement sound policies to protect public health and the environment,” and “agencies that perform nanotechnology research and development or that use nanotechnology in accomplishing their mission must provide appropriate oversight.” Continue Reading...
Tags: Agency', Council on Environmental Quality CEQ, EPA, Environmental, Environmental Issues, FDA, Federal, Food and Drug Administration, Legal/Regulatory Issues, NIOSH, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, OSHA, OSTP, Occupational Health and Safety Issues, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Office of Science and Technology Policy, Protection, United States
Posted on November 13, 2007 by Lynn L. Bergeson
On October 25-26, 2007, the European Commission (EC) held the First Annual Nanotechnology Safety for Success Dialogue. Presentations included:
- Food applications of nanoscience and nanotechnologies -- Ms. Sue O’Hagan, Confederation of the Food and Drink Industries of the European Union (CIAA);
- Consumer products applications of nanoscience and nanotechnologies -- Dr. Michael Holman, Lux Research;
- Health applications of nanoscience and nanotechnologies -- Dr. Carole Moquin-Pattey, European Science Foundation (ESF);
- Nanotechnology risk assessment: Knowns and unknowns -- Mr. Herman B.W.M. Koëter, Deputy Executive Director and Director of Science, European Food Safety Authority (EFSA);
- Nanoparticle toxicology: Scientific state-of-the-art -- Professor Ken Donaldson, University of Edinburgh;
- Nanomaterials. Risk assessment needs -- Professor Jim Bridges, Chair, Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks (SCENIHR);
- The EU perspective on policy and regulatory aspects -- Mr. Kees Brekelmans; Enterprise and Industry Directorate General, “Consumer Goods” Directorate;
- Nanotechnology and the Food and Drug Administration: Science and Policy -- Dr. Richard Canady, U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA); and
- The consumer perspective on applications of nanoscience and nanotechnologies -- Dr. Sue Davies, Chief Policy Advisor, Which?.
Tags: CIAA, Confederation of the Food and Drink Industries of the European Union, EC, EFSA, ESF, European Commission, European Food Safety Authority, European Science Foundation, FDA, Food and Drug Administration, International, Legal/Regulatory Issues, Occupational Health and Safety Issues, SCENIHR, Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks
Posted on October 18, 2007 by Lynn L. Bergeson
The Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (Bundesanstalt für Arbeitsschutz und Arbeitsmedizin/BAuA) (FIOSH) and the German Chemical Industry Association (Verband der Chemischen Industrie/VCI) (GCIA) have issued draft document entitled Guidance for Handling and Use of Nanomaterials at the Workplace. The Guidance is intended to provide an overview of occupational health and safety measures in the production and use of nanomaterials. The basis for the Guidance is a survey FIOSH and GCIA conducted in 2006 regarding occupational health and safety measures for handling and using nanomaterials. The Guidance provides recommendations for workers’ protection measures in the handling and use of nanomaterials, based on hazard assessments. The Guidance discusses the state of methods available for measuring nanoparticles and provides a flowchart that recommends specific hazard assessment activities based on the responses to flowchart questions. The Guidance will be developed further by mid-2008 to meet the advancing state of knowledge of nanoparticles.
Tags: EU Member State, FIOSH, Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, GCIA, German Chemical Industry Association, Guidance for Handling and Use of Nanomaterials at the Workplace, International, Occupational Health and Safety Issues
Posted on October 12, 2007 by Lynn L. Bergeson
The Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies (PEN) at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars hosted on October 9, 2007, a seminar on the Responsible NanoCode, a voluntary, principles-based Code of Conduct for entities involved in the research, development, manufacture, and retail sale of products using nanotechnologies. The draft Code was developed by a working group organized in late 2006 by The Royal Society, the United Kingdom’s (UK) national academy of science, in conjunction with Insight Investment, the Nanotechnology Industries Association (NIA), and the UK government-sponsored Nanotechnology Knowledge Transfer Network.
Tags: Environmental Issues, Insight Investment, Legal/Regulatory Issues, NIA, Nanotechnology Industries Association, Nanotechnology Knowledge Transfer Network, Occupational Health and Safety Issues, PEN, Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies, The Royal Society
Posted on September 19, 2007 by Lynn L. Bergeson
The American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) will hold a webinar entitled “Nanotechnology Health and Safety: Case Studies in the Occupational Setting” on December 4, 2007. The webinar will discuss the uncertainties associated with the hazards and potential risks of working with engineered nanoparticles; describe ways to help manage exposure to engineered nanoparticles; and illustrate how occupational health and safety controls, both engineering and administrative, can be implemented to manage better worker health and safety. Additionally, the webinar will present case studies that will highlight how select organizations that use engineered nanoparticles in production facilities (metal oxide and metal alloy), as well as research laboratories, are addressing the safety and health issues behind this new technology. Continue Reading...
Tags: ACGIH, American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists, Occupational Health and Safety Issues, PPE, United States, personal protective equipment
Posted on August 21, 2007 by Lynn L. Bergeson
On August 16, 2007, the National Nanotechnology Coordination Office (NNCO), on behalf of the Nanoscale Science, Engineering, and Technology (NSET) Subcommittee of the Committee on Technology, National Science and Technology Council (NSTC), published a notice in the Federal Register announcing the availability of a document entitled The Prioritization of Environmental, Health, and Safety Research Needs for Engineered Nanoscale Materials: An Interim Document for Public Comment, which assigns priority to research needs and areas identified in the NSET Subcommittee document Environmental, Health, and Safety Research Needs for Engineered Nanoscale Materials, which was published on September 21, 2006. Comments are due September 17, 2007. Continue Reading...
Tags: EHS, Environmental Issues, Federal, Legal/Regulatory Issues, NNCO, NSET Subcommittee, NSTC, Nanoscale Science, Engineering, and Technology Subcommittee, National Nanotechnology Coordination Office, National Science and Technology Council, Occupational Health and Safety Issues, United States
Posted on August 17, 2007 by Lynn L. Bergeson
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has posted several material safety data sheets (MSDS) for nanomaterials in its Nanoparticle Information Library (NIL). The goal of the NIL is to help occupational health professionals, industrial users, worker groups, and researchers organize and share information on nanomaterials, including their health and safety-associated properties. To view the MSDSs, enter msds in the search field.
Tags: Federal, Legal/Regulatory Issues, MSDS, NIL, NIOSH, Nanoparticle Information Library, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Occupational Health and Safety Issues, United States, material safety data sheet
Posted on August 7, 2007 by Lynn L. Bergeson
On July 31, 2007, an international coalition of consumer, public health, environmental, and labor organizations issued the Principles for the Oversight of Nanotechnologies and Nanomaterials and called for strong, comprehensive oversight of the new technology and its products. According to the coalition, the manufacture of products using technology has “exploded in recent years,” while “evidence indicates that current nanomaterials may pose significant health, safety, and environmental hazards.” Continue Reading...
Tags: Environmental Issues, International, Legal/Regulatory Issues, Occupational Health and Safety Issues, Other, United States
Posted on July 31, 2007 by Lynn L. Bergeson
The proceedings of the June 19-21, 2007, EuroNanoForum 2007 are available. According to the European Commission (EC), they “provide an overview of the state-of-the-art in nanotechnology for industrial applications, presented by selected international top speakers to open up new perspectives in Europe for coming years.”
Tags: EC, International, Legal/Regulatory Issues, Occupational Health and Safety Issues
Posted on July 19, 2007 by Lynn L. Bergeson
The Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE) recently issued a position statement on nanotechnology risks. The CSTE statement observes that the “health, safety and environmental effects of nanomaterials are poorly understood,” and that “our limited knowledge of [nanotechnology’s] potential harm is cause for concern.” Among other things, CSTE calls: for increased funding for research on the environmental, health, and safety impacts of nanotechnology; for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to require content-labeling on products containing nanoparticles that are aerosolized or applied to the skin; and for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to issue standards for the protection of workers, the public, and the environment against known or suspected harmful effects of nanoparticles.
Tags: CSTE, EPA, Environmental Issues, FDA, Federal, Legal/Regulatory Issues, OSHA, Occupational Health and Safety Issues, United States
Posted on July 6, 2007 by Lynn L. Bergeson
On June 22, 2007, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the award of two research grants totaling almost $600,000 to scientists at Oregon State University, who will evaluate whether some engineered nanomaterials adversely affect human health. Under the first research grant, scientists will review a variety of commonly manufactured nanomaterials to determine their potential interactions with biological processes; if the researchers find nanomaterials that produce adverse human health effects, they will seek to identify the potential cellular and genetic targets of those nanomaterials and group the nanomaterials by composition and effects. The second research grant will focus on how engineered nanomaterials can damage or kill cells, and is expected to lead to the development of occupational and environmental exposure guidelines.
Tags: EPA, Environmental Issues, Occupational Health and Safety Issues, United States
Posted on June 28, 2007 by Lynn L. Bergeson
On June 21, 2007, Environmental Defense (ED) and DuPont, who commenced a partnership on nanotechnology in September 2005, released the final Nano Risk Framework, which establishes “a systematic and disciplined process for identifying, managing, and reducing potential environmental, health, and safety risks of engineered nanomaterials across all stages of a product’s ‘lifecycle.’” The Framework is aimed primarily at organizations, both private and public, that are actively working with nanomaterials and developing associated products and applications. ED and DuPont believe that “adoption of the Frameworkcan promote responsible development of nanotechnology products, facilitate public acceptance, and support the formulation of a practical model for reasonable government policy on nanotechnology safety.”
Tags: DuPont, ED, Environmental Issues, Legal/Regulatory Issues, Occupational Health and Safety Issues, United States
Posted on June 5, 2007 by Lynn L. Bergeson
The July 2007 issue of Consumer Reports includes an article entitled “NANOtechnology: Untold Promise, Untold Risk.” According to Consumer Reports, while nanotechnology “promises to be the most important innovation since electricity and the internal combustion engine,” “some applications might pose substantial risks to human health and the environment.” The article states that nanomaterials are already being used in consumer products such as car wax, computer chips, and sunscreen, and that approximately $2.6 trillion worth of goods worldwide are expected to use nanotechnology by 2014, up from $50 billion in 2006. Consumers Union (CU), the nonprofit publisher of Consumer Reports, concludes that the responsibility for protecting consumers rests mainly with government and industry. In particular, CU believes that the government should provide more funds for risk research and regulation, and that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) should assess safety information on nanoingredients in cosmetics, food additives, and other products before they are sold, and should require manufacturers to report health problems linked with those ingredients. The full article is available in the July 2007 issue of Consumer Reports.
Tags: Consumer Reports, FDA, Federal, Food and Drug Administration, Legal/Regulatory Issues, Occupational Health and Safety Issues
Posted on May 18, 2007 by Lynn L. Bergeson
On May 11, 2007, the United Kingdom (UK) Health & Safety Executive (HSE) published its first bulletin on nanotechnology research. The bulletin is intended to provide an overview of published studies that have examined the exposure and potential health effects of nanomaterials, particularly in the occupational setting. According to HSE, inevitably there will be some overlap between studies of exposure of other groups (i.e. consumers). HSE screened the literature search results to ensure that the studies listed are relevant to HSE and its responsibility to manage health and safety in the workplace. The first bulletin reviews literature published in 2000-2006. According to HSE, subsequent bulletins will summarize publications from the previous four-month period. The bulletins will summarize the range of studies that have been published in two areas of interest: measurement, characterization, and control of exposure to nanoparticles; and potential for toxic effects of nanoparticles in humans.
Tags: EU Member State, HSE, Health and Safety Executive, Occupational Health and Safety Issues, UK, United Kingdom, consumer, occupational
Posted on May 16, 2007 by Lynn L. Bergeson
On May 10, 2007, EHP-in-Press posted an article entitled “Reviewing the Environmental and Human Health Knowledge Base of Carbon Nanotubes.” The authors reviewed the currently available literature about the human health and environmental risk potential of carbon nanotubes (CNT). The authors also investigated the life cycle of the CNT, as release into different environmental compartments may occur at the production stages as well as the product’s usage and disposal stages, which may indirectly or directly cause human exposure. Because, according to the authors, the published literature revealed many open questions, they also systematically interviewed seven leading scientists worldwide and integrated their contemporary knowledge in the review. The authors interviewed scientists who were key authors or project leaders, having investigated and reported the potential impacts of CNT on human health or environment. Through this combined approach, the authors present an updated and contemporary knowledge base for scientific discussion.
Tags: CNT, Environmental Issues, Occupational Health and Safety Issues, carbon nanotube
Posted on May 15, 2007 by Lynn L. Bergeson
Environmental Defense (ED) will hold a webcast regarding its recent report, Not That Innocent: A Comparative Analysis of Canadian, European Union and United States Policies on Industrial Chemicals, on May 24, 2007, from 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. (EDT). The webcast will include a 45-minute presentation and a question and answer period. Dr. Richard Denison, Senior Scientist at ED, will present the findings and discuss his report, which compares the European Union’s new Registration, Evaluation, and Authorization of Chemicals (REACH) regulation, the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), and the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA). Continue Reading...
Tags: CEPA, Canadian Environmental Protection Act, ED, EU Member State, Environmental Defense, Federal, Legal/Regulatory Issues, Occupational Health and Safety Issues, Other, REACH, Registration, Evaluation, and Authorization of Chemicals, TSCA, Toxic Substances Control Act
Posted on April 25, 2007 by Lynn L. Bergeson
On April 11, 2007, the European Commission (EC) announced that the report prepared by the Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks (SCENIHR) regarding the appropriateness of the risk assessment methodology for assessing the risks of nanomaterials is available for comment. Comments are due May 23, 2007. EC states that the report “provides the Commission with a sound scientific approach on how to modify the Technical Guidance Documents of the EU chemicals legislation in regard to nanomaterials. The report provides proposals for general and specific modifications of risk assessment of human health and the environment, describes a staged strategy for the risk assessment of nanomaterials and identifies areas of further research.”
Tags: Environmental Issues, International, Legal/Regulatory Issues, Occupational Health and Safety Issues
Posted on April 25, 2007 by Lynn L. Bergeson
On April 3, 2007, the United Kingdom’s (UK) Department of Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) released its second quarterly update on the Voluntary Reporting Scheme (VRS) for engineered nanoscale materials. According to the update, DEFRA has received a total of six submissions since VRS’s launch in September 2006, four of which were from industry and two from academia. DEFRA has liaised with groups representing the UK nanotechnologies industry and has made direct contact with companies involved in the sector. From these contacts, DEFRA believes that “a number of VRS submissions are being prepared and will be delivered” in the near future. During discussions with industry, DEFRA sought feedback on VRS, and industry raised the following issues: uncertainty regarding the scope of VRS; resources; and confidentiality issues. The next update will be published in June 2007.
Tags: DEFRA, EU Member State, International, Legal/Regulatory Issues, Occupational Health and Safety Issues, VRS, Voluntary Reporting Scheme
Posted on April 17, 2007 by Lynn L. Bergeson
The International Council on Nanotechnology (ICON) and Rice University’s Center for Biological and Environmental Nanotechnology (CBEN) announced on March 22, 2007, they have launched a monthly online journal that contains citations and links to articles on the environment and health impacts of nanotechnology. The ICON and CBEN coalition launched the first online database of nanomaterial scientific findings in August 2005, but the new journal -- The Virtual Journal of Nanotechnology Environment, Health & Safety (VJ-Nano EHS) -- “has taken the concept one step further,” the coalition said. The virtual journal organizes the information contained in the existing database into a reader-friendly monthly journal format. New features include a rotating guest editorship and a series of papers on topics of interest taken from the database. Contents of the journal are searchable. In the future, the coalition said, the journal will include a section on the most cited nanotechnology environment, health, and safety papers.
Tags: Articles, Environmental Issues, Federal, Legal/Regulatory Issues, Occupational Health and Safety Issues, United States
Posted on April 11, 2007 by Lynn L. Bergeson
On January 22, 2007, ISO published a report entitled Workplace Atmospheres -- Ultrafine, Nanoparticle and Nano-Structured Aerosols -- Inhalation Exposure Characterization and Assessment, which includes information on the potential health effects of nanoaerosols, sources of occupational nanoaerosols, exposure assessment strategies, particle ensemble characterization methods, size-resolved characterization, online chemical analysis, single particle analysis, and electron microscopy sample collection and preparation. The report states that its aim is “to provide generally accepted definitions and terms, as well as guidelines on measuring occupational nanoaerosol exposure against a range of metrics.” ISO intends the report to address an immediate need and establish an essential step for developing future exposure assessment standards for nanoaerosols.
Tags: ISO, Occupational Health and Safety Issues, exposure assessment, inhalation, nanoaerosol, risk assessment
Posted on March 22, 2007 by Lynn L. Bergeson
On March 20, 2007, the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies (PEN) released a report entitled Nanotechnology and Life Cycle Assessment: A Systems Approach to Nanotechnology and the Environment, which summarizes the results of the October 2-3, 2006, workshop organized by PEN and the European Commission on life cycle assessment (LCA). LCA is a cradle-to-grave analysis of how a material affects ecosystems and human health. According to the report, the purpose of the October 2-3, 2006, workshop was to determine whether existing LCA tools and methods are adequate to use on a new technology. The report provides an overview of LCA and nanotechnology, discusses the current state of the art, identifies current knowledge gaps that may prevent the proper application of LCA in this field, and offers recommendations on the application of LCA for assessing the potential environmental impacts of nanotechnology, nanomaterials, and nanoproducts. Continue Reading...
Tags: 14040, EC, EU, EU Member State, Environmental Issues, European Commission, European Union, ISO, International, International Organization for Standardization, LCA, Legal/Regulatory Issues, Occupational Health and Safety Issues, PEN, Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies, United States, life cycle assessment, risk assessment
Posted on March 22, 2007 by Lynn L. Bergeson
In a March 15, 2007, letter, the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the Congressional Nanotechnology Caucus requested that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) review the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI), which was created to accelerate the discovery, development, and deployment of nanoscale science and technology. For fiscal year 2006, NNI received $1.2 billion in research and development funding, and 22 federal agencies, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), participate in NNI. According to the letter, one key expectation for NNI was “to ensure that adequate attention and research funding was made available to gain a better understanding of the potential environmental, health, and safety (EHS) risks associated with nanomaterials.” The letter states that the Committee and Caucus “are extremely concerned that this has not happened and that there is a lack of transparency with regard to how much federal attention and funding this important aspect of the initiative is receiving.” Continue Reading...
Tags: CPCS, Congress, Consumer Product Safety Commission, EHS, EPA, Environmental Issues, Environmental, Health, and Safety, FDA, Federal, Food and Drug Administration, Legal/Regulatory Issues, NNI, National Nanotechnology Initiative, OSHA, Occupational Health and Safety Issues, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Research, Senate, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, budget
Posted on March 22, 2007 by Lynn L. Bergeson
In February 2007, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) released a report entitled Progress Toward Safe Nanotechnology in the Workplace, which summarizes the progress made by the NIOSH Nanotechnology Research Center (NTRC) since its inception in 2004 through 2006. According to NIOSH, by redirecting existing resources, NTRC developed a research program that has made progress towards hazard identification and characterization, exposure assessment, risk assessment, and risk management. Continue Reading...
Tags: Federal, NIOSH, NTRC, Nanotechnology Research Center, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Occupational Health and Safety Issues, United States, occupational safety, worker, workplace
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Kesehatan dan keselamatan kerja, Universitas Indonesia
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