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] >> > ============================================================ >> >> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - >> - - - - - - >> To get off the CONS-EQST-COMM list, send any message >> to: >> [log in to unmask] >> > > > > > __________________________________ > Yahoo! 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