Nanomaterials links

1. Factual links

   Some of the websites providing reliable scientific information on Nanotechnologies :

   • 1.1 EU regulations or reports on nanotechnology or nanomaterials
   • 1.2 Q&As and FAQs on nanotechnology or nanomaterials
   • 1.3 Other websites
2. 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:
 http://ec.europa.eu/health/ph_risk/committees/04_scenihr/docs/scenihr_o_003b.pdf

The opinion is summarised here:
http://copublications.greenfacts.org/en/nanotechnologies/l-3/index.htm#0p0 

On 29 March 2007, the SCENHR 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
 http://ec.europa.eu/health/ph_risk/committees/04_scenihr/docs/scenihr_o_004c.pdf

The European Commission issued a communication on regulatory aspects of nanomaterials in 2008:
 http://ec.europa.eu/nanotechnology/pdf/comm_2008_0366_en.pdf

The Commission’s Action Plan on nanotechnology was published in 2004:
http://cordis.europa.eu/nanotechnology/actionplan.htm 

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/html/facts/faqs.html 

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

The European Cosmetics Association describes its approach to safety of nanotech products:
http://www.colipa.eu/safety-a-science-colipa-the-european-cosmetic-cosmetics-association/products-and-ingredients/nanotechnology-.html 

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reports on research on safety of nanotechnology products:
http://www.epa.gov/nanoscience/quickfinder/hh_effects.htm 

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/themen/chemikalien/00228/00510/05626/index.html?lang=en 

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/ 

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 en environmental effects:
www.soilassociation.org