A quick note on nano-scale materials:  nanotechnologies frequently operate
at well below the molecular level, often at a scale of objects in the 4 to
5 nanometer range.  This can entail configuring small numbers of ATOMS
into useful "manufactured" shapes, lattices, networks, etc.  These can
include micromoters, microcomputers, and so on.  "Smart materials" are a
product of nanophysics; the "memory foam" pillow is a smart materials
application.

BW





>
>> Thursday, June 23, 2005
>>
>> ----------
>>
>> Industry, Environmentalists Offer Plan For Possible
>> Nanotech Rules
>>
>>
>> The chemical industry and a major environmental
>> group have announced a
>> joint proposal for how EPA should consider
>> regulating nanoparticles as the
>> agency examines the risks posed by the emerging
>> field of
>> nanotechnology.  The plan calls for broad
>> negotiations on possible changes
>> to regulations under the Toxic Substances Control
>> Act (TSCA).
>>
>>
>> Nanotechnology refers to chemicals that are
>> manipulated at the molecular
>> level, resulting in unique properties that are
>> expected to have widespread
>> industrial and medical uses. The plan is significant
>> because it is likely
>> the first joint effort by industry and
>> environmentalists to weigh in on the
>> regulatory debate over the emerging issue, sources
>> say.
>>
>>
>> Environmental Defense and the American Chemistry
>> Council
>>
> <http://insideepa.com/secure/data_extra/dir_05/epa2005_1102a.pdf>released
>>
>> the plan at a June 23 EPA public meeting on
>> nanotechnology, which calls for
>> international efforts to standardize testing and
>> risk assessment protocols
>> for nanotechnology development, and the drafting of
>> measures to protect
>> human health and the environment while regulators,
>> industry and the
>> scientific community continue to research and
>> develop the technology. A
>> number of other environmental groups, environmental
>> consultants and
>> technology companies made presentations at the EPA
>> meeting in Washington, DC.
>>
>>
>> While EPA has authority under TSCA to regulate “new”
>> chemicals, the unique
>> composition of nanoparticles is raising questions
>> over how the law applies
>> to existing chemicals. Section 5 of TSCA requires
>> manufacturers of new
>> chemicals to submit premanufacture notification
>> (PMN) that includes data on
>> toxicity before manufacturing is permitted.
>> Chemicals are considered new
>> under TSCA if the are not already listed on the TSCA
>> inventory.
>>
>>
>> But it is unclear whether chemicals already in the
>> inventory that contain
>> nanoparticles are considered new or are exempt from
>> PMN requirements as
>> existing chemicals. Because the chemicals contain
>> vastly different
>> properties, environmentalists -- including
>> Environmental Defense -- have
>> called on EPA to clarify that such substances are
>> considered new under TSCA
>> and trigger PMN notification.
>>
>>
>> EPA proposed in a May 10 Federal Register notice its
>> intention to obtain
>> industry nanoparticle data through a voluntary
>> reporting pilot project. EPA
>> sources have said the information could help guide
>> the agency on whether to
>> develop new regulations for the chemicals. Charles
>> Auer, the director of
>> the agency's Office of Pollution Prevention and
>> Toxics, raised the
>> possibility at the meeting of “parallel” tracks
>> where an already-existing
>> agency advisory committee would address the issue of
>> whether the
>> nanoparticles are “new,” while industry,
>> environmentalists and other groups
>> would participate in developing a voluntary
>> reporting pilot project.
>>
>>
>> The joint plan by industry and environmentalists,
>> which sources say was
>> developed in recent weeks, also calls for an
>> increase in government
>> research on the health and environmental
>> implications of nanotechnology and
>> “timely and responsible development and regulation
>> of nanomaterials.”
>>
>>
>> “A government program should address intentionally
>> produced nanoscale
>> materials produced in or imported into the U.S. and
>> characterize hazard and
>> exposure sufficiently to assess any risks of these
>> materials,” the plan
>> says. “It should also assess the appropriateness of
>> or need for
>> modification of existing regulatory frameworks.”
>>
>>
>> Environmental Defense also distributed
>>
> <http://insideepa.com/secure/data_extra/dir_05/epa2005_1102b.pdf>its
>> own
>> comments at the meeting, which go beyond the joint
>> plan by  outlining the
>> types of risk-related data the agency should review,
>> including information
>> on the acute and chronic toxicity of nanoparticles.
>>
>> Date: June 23, 2005
>>
>> © Inside Washington Publishers
>>
>>
>>
>>
> ============================================================
>> Ross Vincent
>> Senior Policy Advisor
>> Sierra Club
>> 1829 South Pueblo Boulevard, #300
>> Pueblo, CO 81005-2105
>> 719-561-3117
>> 415-946-3442(Fax)
>> [log in to unmask]
>>
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