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EPA Opens Registration Review Docket for Nanosilver - Nano and Other Emerging Technologies Blog

(Lynn Bergeson) On July 6, 2012, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the establishment of a registration review docket for nanosilver. EPA states that registration review is its “periodic review of pesticide registrations to ensure that each pesticide continues to satisfy the statutory standard for registration, that is, the pesticide can perform its intended function without unreasonable adverse effects on human health or the environment.” Registration review dockets include information intended to assist the public in understanding the types of information and issues that EPA may consider during the course of registration reviews. According to the preliminary work plan, EPA has information that there are silver-based pesticide products that were registered without the registrant disclosing to EPA the presence or characteristics of the nanosilver in their products. EPA sent a letter in August 2009 to each registrant with silver-based products requesting a statement as to whether their products contained any amount of silver in any form having a dimension that measures between 1 and approximately 100 nanometers. Four registrants responded that their products, which were registered using data for conventional silver, contain nanosilver. In the preliminary work plan, EPA states it is identifying several other products, registered using data for silver chloride, as potentially containing nanosilver. The registration review for nanosilver includes these products, as well as the two HeiQ nanosilver products conditionally registered in December 2011. According to the preliminary work plan, EPA believes that additional data are needed to determine whether the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) standard for maintaining these registrations is met “due to nanosilver’s unique physical and chemical properties, and thus nanosilver’s potentially different health and safety properties as compared to silver.”

“Paralysis” On Nanosilver? - New Haven Independent

(By Gwyneth K. Shaw) Amid the latest in a long list of scientific reviews of the potential problems posed to people, animals and the environment by super-small silver particles, two Danish researchers say it’s time to stop pondering—and start regulating.

In a sharply-worded commentary recently published online by the scientific journal Nature Nanotechnology, Steffen Foss Hansen and Anders Baun make a simple point about what’s typically pitched as a complicated question about whether nanosilver should be controlled by new laws in Europe.

Congress To FDA: Study Nano Safety - New Haven Independent

(By Gwyneth Shaw). The U.S. Food and Drug Administration will soon have a new nanotechnology safety program, thanks to language tucked into a massive legislative package that’s on its way to President Obama.

U.S. Sens. Mark Pryor of Arkansas and Benjamin L. Cardin of Maryland, both Democrats, pushed for the program to be added during Senate debate last month. The revamped bill cleared the House last week and passed the Senate, 92 to 4, on Tuesday. Obama is expected to sign it.

Nanotechnology risk research not always investigating risk, says GAO - Fierce Government

Federally funded research into the environment, health and safety impacts of nanotechnology has more than doubled since 2006 to reach $90 million in fiscal 2010, but the Government Accountability Office says some of that research is only ancillary connected to studying those risks.

In a report (.pdf) dated May 21 that wasn't posted online until June 20, auditors Nanomaterials that exist in food packaging may enter food supply undetected by the Food and Drug Administration, the report adds. The Environmental Protection Agency also reported problems detecting traces of nanomaterials because they may fall below EPA chemical detection scales.

White House Blocking EPA Efforts to Issue Rules on Nanomaterials, Advocates Say - Bloomberg, BNA

By Patrick Ambrosio and Pat Rizzuto

The White House appears to be blocking Environmental Protection Agency efforts to tighten oversight of engineered nanoscale pesticides and other chemicals, according to environmental and safety advocates.

Richard Denison, a senior scientist with the Environmental Defense Fund, told BNA May 23 that he has spoken with EPA officials who have told him they do not expect any regulations for engineered nanoscale pesticides or chemicals to be approved by the White House Office of Management and Budget.

Women in Europe for a Common Future Issues Position Paper: Nano the Great Unknown - Nanotechnology Law Report

(By Robert Oszakiewski) Women in Europe for a Common Future, (WECF) founded in the Netherlands in 1994, " is a network of 100 member organizations and individual members who share a common concern to promote a healthy environment for all, strengthen the role of women and promote a gender and rights based approach in environment and sustainable development policy and implementation." Recently, WECF issued a position paper, "Nano: The Great Unknown". WECF takes the position that "Neither the industry nor public authorities have shown adequate leadership and willingness in addressing" the possible toxic effects of manufactured nanomaterials (MNMs) on humans and the environment.

Nanoparticles impact fish through the food chain - ScienceNordic

(By Asle Rønning) A new Swedish study shows that nanoparticles can survive several links in the food chain.

Algae were grown in a tank of water containing nanoparticles. The algae absorbed these particles,

The algae were then fed to animal plankton, and finally the plankton was fed to fish.

The behaviour of the fish that consumed these zooplankton changed.

The fish simply lost their appetites. Scientists are pinning the blame on the nanoparticles.

"Public Interest" Groups Call for Synthetic Biology Regulation - Patent Docs

(By Kevin E. Noonan) A broad coalition of 111 public interest groups announced today a manifesto for containing "synthetic biology," a term with a loose definition (including "extreme genetic engineering") that includes efforts such as Craig Venter's to produce novel microorganisms to more traditional biotechnology efforts in transgenic plants and animals and other genetically modified organisms (see "Not Quite Artificial Life, But We're Getting Closer: Reactions to Venter's Synthetic Cell"). The effort was the occasion for a press conference this morning, hosted by the Friends of the Earth and featuring four speakers:

MEXICO: Scientists Call for Regulation of Nanotechnology - Tierramerica

MEXICO CITY, Mar 12 (Tierramérica).- Nanotechnology, which is currently unregulated in Mexico, could pose serious threats to human health and the environment, cautions a new study.

"Far from a policy of precaution vis-à-vis these new technologies, products are entering the market without regulation to guarantee their safety or labels to inform of their use," researcher Guillermo Foladori of the public Autonomous University of Zacatecas told Tierramérica.

France to introduce mandatory reporting of nanomaterials in 2013 - SafeNano News

The French Ministry has recently adopted a decree which will introduce a mandatory reporting scheme for nanomaterials in 2013.

The French Ministry for Ecology, Sustainable Development, Transportation and Housing has recently published a final decree regarding the mandatory reporting of nanomaterials. The decree, which was signed in February 2012 and will be applicable from January 2013, requires companies that manufacture, import, distribute nanomaterials in quantities of ? 100g to submit to the authorities an annual declaration containing the quantity and use information.