Nanomaterials definitions links
- Factual links
Some of the websites providing reliable scientific information on Nanotechnologies :
- Other Views
1. Factual links
1.1 EU regulations or reports on nanotechnology or nanomaterials
The Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks (SCENIHR) adopted an opinion on methodologies to assess risks associated with products of nanotechnologies on 10 March 2006:
The opinion is summarised here:
http://copublications.greenfacts.org/en/nanotechnologies/l-3/index.htm#0p0
On 29 March 2007, the SCENIHR adopted an opinion on the appropriateness of the risk assessment methodology in accordance with the technical guidance documents for new and existing substances for assessing the risks of nanomaterials
The SCENIHR adopted a further opinion on scientific aspects of the existing and proposed definitions relating to products of nanoscience and nanotechnologies, on 29 November 2007
The SCENIHR adopted an opinion on risk assessment of products of nanotechnologies on 19 January 2009.
The European Commission issued a communication on regulatory aspects of nanomaterials in 2008:
The Commission’s Action Plan on nanotechnology was published in 2004:
http://cordis.europa.eu/nanotechnology/actionplan.htm
The Commission published a lay report on Successful European Nanotechnology Research in 2011. Available at:
1.2 Q&As and FAQs on nanotechnology or nanomaterials
The European Commission answers frequently asked questions at:
http://ec.europa.eu/nanotechnology/faq/faqs.cfm
US National Nanotechnology Initiative answers frequently asked questions at:
http://www.nano.gov/nanotech-101
The US National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health answers frequently asked questions about nanotechnology and health and safety research at:
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/nanotech/faq.html
1.3 Other websites
FDA. Nanotechnology: a report of the US Food and Drug Administration Nanotechnology Task Force; July 25 2007. at:
Health Canada. Interim policy statement on Health Canada’s working definition for nanomaterials; 2010. at:
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/sr-sr/consult/_2010/nanomater/draft-ebauche-eng.php
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reports on research on safety of nanotechnology products:
http://www.epa.gov/nanoscience/quickfinder/hh_effects.htm
The US National Research Council published a report on a research strategy for environmental, heaslth and safety aspects of engineered nanomaterials in January 2012, available at
http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=13347
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development has extensive information about safety of nanomaterials:
http://www.oecd.org/department/0,3355,en_2649_37015404_1_1_1_1_1,00.html
The Swiss Federal Office of Public Health offered guidelines on the “precuationary matrix” for synthetic nanomaterials in 2008, at:
http://www.bag.admin.ch/nanotechnologie/12171/12174/index.html?lang=en
The UK Department for Environment commissioned a study of risk assessment frameworks for nanomaterials in 2008. The final report is available at:
http://randd.defra.gov.uk/Document.aspx?Document=CB0403_7306_ABS.doc
The Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies offers a variety of summaries and reports on aspects of nanotechnology at:
http://www.nanotechproject.org/
Nano and Me is a general public information website on nanotechnologies, including material on products and safety issues, at:
http://www.nanoandme.org/home/
Safenano describes itself as Europe’s Centre of Excellence on nanotechnollogy hazard and risk. At:
http://www.safenano.org/
2. Other Views
The Soil Association, a UK organization devoted to organic food and farming, is proposing a ban on nanotechnologies, due to unknown health or environmental effects:
www.soilassociation.org
The Centre for Responsible Nanotechnology is a non-profit US-based think-tank concerned with societal and environmental implications of nanotechnology. At:
www.crnano.org/
The Three-Level Structure used to communicate this SCENIHR opinion is copyrighted by Cogeneris SPRL.